Wood and Stone
by Konflickted
Summary: For Turtle.  When the owner of The Fawkes Quidditch team needs to replace the captain, he thinks of Oliver Wood, and hopes the young man can give him a winning team.  Has Wood met his match in the reserve keeper, a feisty know it all named Stone?
1. The Arrival of the New Captain

Wood and Stone

"The Arrival of the New Captain"

It was easy to find the apartment building just a few blocks from the stadium. To the passer-by, the building looked a lot like the stadium, as if it wasn't even there. It was part of the charm placed upon the buildings. To a witch or wizard, they stood there in all of their glory to impress upon each the power and respectability of the sport and the life style of the players.

"Whoa, nice," whispered Oliver as he looked up at the building. It was taller than the dorms he had stayed in when he was on the Puddlemere United Reserve Team. There, they had been in barracks that reminded him vaguely of prison. That had been about ten years ago.

"Move it, grandpa!" A voice called as a whirl of brown hair whipped past him at lightening speed, through the double pane glass doors, and out of sight.

"Grandpa?" Oliver shouted indignantly. Oliver shook his head, frowning, as he headed up the steps into the building. He stopped immediately to take in the sights of the building. As handsome and stately as the building had been from the outside, it was nothing compared to the inside of the building.

Pictures of the greatest Quidditch players spanned the walls, illuminated invisibly by some charm of sorts. Oliver could only stare at the way the chasers, beaters, keepers, and seekers kept flying in and out of each other's frames. He was focused on his hero, Artugo Palmini, a fellow keeper for the Italian Quidditch team. He had died a year before in a horrible Quidditch accident.

"Oliver? Oliver Wood?" A woman's voice called from the top of the stairs. Oliver looked up to see a familiar face looking down at him. She was smiling, her white teeth sparkling in contrast to her warm, chocolaty skin.

"Angelina?" Oliver asked hesitantly. She smiled bigger and rushed down the stairs. Even now, Oliver found her height to be a bit intimidating. She was as tall as he was, and he wasn't a short man. Angelina hugged him hard, her arms wrapping around his neck playfully. Oliver dropped his bags and hugged her back, careful not to crush her with his un-human-like strength. She laughed.

"You would think it was a life time ago since I last saw you," Angelina teased as she pulled back. She grinned again. "It's been long enough, though, Wood."

"Wow, it has been a long while," Oliver said as he reached to pick up his bags. "Lee's party, right?"

"That's right, Wood," Angelina smiled nodding. "You remember. It was when he got that award from the WWN. Of all people, who would have thought that _he_ would be successful to the point of fame?"

"Didn't you guys date back in school?" Oliver asked curiously. He swore he thought that she blushed.

"Ah, old news, Oliver," Angelina laughed. "So, tell me what my ex-Quidditch captain is doing turning up at the dormitories for the players of the Hedwig Ham Hocks?"

"God, is that what your team is called?" Oliver asked, rolling his eyes. Angelina shrugged.

"You tell me," she replied mischievously winking as she saw the owner of the team, Albador Westall coming toward them. She made a little wave at Oliver and headed past him out the doors.

Albador Westall was a small man, possible part dwarf; with a white beard so long he nearly tripped over it. He was stocky, with stubby arms and legs. Oliver had to fight the urge to laugh when the man approached him, trying to puff himself up to his full height of four feet even.

"Ah, Mr. Wood, thank you for coming," Mr. Westall said as he reached up to shake Oliver's hand. Oliver shook it and nodded.

"The opportunity to be captain in the professional league doesn't come every day," Oliver said. Mr. Westall laughed.

"No, it doesn't," Mr. Westall agreed. He led Oliver up the stairs and to the first door on the right. A small, simple room with a bed, dresser, and a desk with a chair was in the otherwise plain room. "This would be your room, my boy. Toss you stuff down and I will show you around the rest of the building."

Oliver followed Mr. Westall, seeing the dorms that slept two per each, as well as the wash rooms, as well as other things. Oliver watched amused as a house-elf wobbled by, carrying a dirty load of clothes that practically consumed the small creature. The tour of the building ended in the common room, complete with a huge board that was meant to represent the Quidditch pitch.

"Ok, so that is it then," Mr. Westall said finally. "I hope that you can do something with the team of misfits and the lovely back up players. And watch out for Stone. Sent the last captain home crying, thus this is why I need you. I heard that you could be a real hard ass and you did so great with your team back at Hogwarts."

"You know of my days at Hogwarts?" Oliver said grinning. Mr. Westall nodded.

"I was never fortunate enough to go there, not magically talented enough, I suppose, but yes, I heard how wonderful you did. I am hoping you can do the same here with The Fawkess," Mr. Westall said. He shook Oliver's hand again; Oliver nodded, thankful Angelina had been joking about the team's name. "The players should be down at the pitch. You can apparate once you are just outside the front door. You will land in the lockers. Good luck, Mr. Wood."

The pitch was the perfect shade of green. Oliver could appreciate a grass of this caliber, his fingers reaching down and caressing the blades of grass as if each individual one was a lover. Half a dozen players were in the air, a few were laying about her and there on the grass, talking. Thirteen players in total, his first string team and the reserves. Oliver pointed his wand at himself and muttered the word: Sonorus.

"If everyone will please line up along the field," Oliver's voice boomed out over the pitch unnaturally loud. He silently cast the counter spell, Quietus, before he walked over to the line of Quidditch players. Each one stood, holding their broom and looking at him. "So, ok, maybe we should all get to know one another. I am Oliver Wood, keeper, and I am the new captain of The Fawkes. So, let's see… I already know Angelina Johnson." Oliver muttered as he looked over his roster. In fact a few faces were familiar to him from over the years.

"El Captain, perhaps we should split up Reserves versus First string," a voice called out loudly, shattering the silence that had overcome the pitch. Oliver looked up warily at the faces.

"Who said that?" Oliver asked quickly. All of the players looked down to the end of the line uneasily to where a girl stood. He nearly laughed. She was short, even by girl standards, reaching at barely five feet two inches tall. She had her brown hair pulled back tight; a smudge of dirt was on her face near her jaw line.

"I did," she said as she crossed her arms defiantly. She had piercing gray eyes, like two pieces of dulled tin foil set in place of irises.

"And you are?" Oliver asked as his face turned back to the roster.

"Gigi Stone," Angelina said laughing. The girl shot Angelina a scathing, which silenced Angelina's laughter.

"I am Gabrielle Stone, first string keeper," Stone said as she stepped apart from her other players.

"Not any more," Oliver said as he looked back at the roster.

"What?" Stone exploded as she practically ran up to him. Oliver frowned as he looked down at her from his empowering height of six foot three. She didn't seem intimidated.

"We only need one first string keeper, and one reserve. I am keeper, you are reserve," Oliver said as he looked down at her. Her eyes flamed.

"That's crap. I have been on the team as keeper since it's initiation into the professional ranks three years ago. I am the best keeper this team has ever seen," Stone defended hotly.

"Well, not any more. Sorry, but you are reserves," Oliver said as he turned back to the roster. He waited then looked down at her, seeing that she hadn't returned to the line. "Yes, Ms. Stone?"

"It's just Stone, and I think this is crap," Stone huffed at him, her arms still crossed.

"Opinion noted, now get back in line," Oliver said forcefully. Stone hesitated before she turned on her heels and headed back to the line. He looked back at the roster thinking that perhaps he should have them broken up by reserves versus first string. Damn that infuriating girl for being right. "Ok, first strings to the left, reserves to the right. No, Stone, get on the right. No, the right. C'mon, Stone, don't make this harder than it has to be."

"I am not reserve material," Stone barked at him. She glanced at the reserves. "No offence reservist, because you are important."

"Whatever, Stone," a brown-haired boy muttered.

"Shut up, Justin Finch-Fletchley," Stone snapped.

"Why don't you make me, Gabrielle Stone," Justin teased. Oliver looked down at the list. He knew that boy, vaguely, from his days at school. He had been a third year during Oliver's last year at Hogwarts. He didn't remember him ever playing Quidditch, so perhaps it was good that Justin was on the reserves team.

"You two knock it off," Oliver barked at them. "Stone, you get your can over to the reserves side or you will get off my field and off my team. Forever."

Grumbling, Gabrielle "Gigi" Stone walked painfully slow toward the reserve part of the field. Oliver only caught snippets of what she was saying, but phrases like "if I were captain" and "damn reserves" floated back to Oliver's ears. He shook his head and went back to looking at the roster, matching up the names and faces. There was a girl from his old team, Alicia Spinnet, was there along with the surviving Weasley twin, George, minus his ear, of course.

"Weasley, Spinnet, good to have you on the team," Oliver said quietly while Stone continued to grumble from the reserves side. He glanced over at her, frowning before looking at the wispy little blond-haired girl with enormous blue eyes. "You are Luna Lovegood?"

"Sometimes," Luna said as she glanced around nervously. She wasn't nearly as spacey as she had been in school. Fighting in a war had taken a bit of that childlike innocence from her.

"And you are our seeker?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"Mostly," Luna said nodded. She tried to smile but it came off a bit twisted. He raised his eyebrows, but decided to wait and pass judgment until he saw her in action. A boy stepped forward.

"I am Jimmy Peaks, and I was on the Gryffindor team as a beater," the boy said eagerly. Wood nodded, though he wasn't familiar with the boy. It must have been during someone else's reign as captain, because the young man didn't look like he could be as good as George Weasley as a beater.

"Ok, nice to meet you," Oliver muttered. He looked at the final girl on the first string. He found her name on the list and then looked back at her. She was cute, but not in the traditional sense. She looked like she might be part vela or something. "You are Tabitha MacMillan?"

"Yes," she said. "I didn't go to Hogwarts, but my husband did. He was a Hufflepuff. Ernie MacMillan."

"Ah, yeah," Oliver said nodding. He scratched the back of his head. "He was a few years behind me, but I think I remember him."

"Shouldn't we be practicing or something, _captain_?" Stone shouted from her place on the reserves side. Oliver cringed, thinking how nice it might be to slap her with a silencing charm. That Stone was really getting on his last nerve.

"Yes, of course, _Stone_, thank you for reminding me," Oliver said curtly as he looked over the list. He looked over the reserves, secretly thinking that they were the rejects. Too good to let other teams snatch them up, but not actually good enough to play first string. "Ok, teams, lets play a little one on one. First string versus the reserves. It'll let me get an idea where work needs to be done."

Within ten minutes, Oliver was flying around the goal posts, watching the other players. He had to admit, for reserves they were decent players, and with the right kind of coaching, they might be good enough for first string. The seekers were lazily flying around matching each other's duck and swerves, having not actually released a snitch to seek. Stone was at her goal posts, barking commands at Justin, who was hell bent on doing the opposite.

"Time out!" Oliver shouted loudly as he took off toward Stone's end of the field. He pulled himself up to her, inches from her. "What the hell do you think you are doing? You are not captain, I am. If a player_ needs_ guidance, then _I _will guide them. I do not want you shouting anything to the other players. Your job is to protect your goal posts, and not to tell the other players what they should be doing. Are you even listening to me?"

Oliver's face was red from shouting like a drill sergeant, and yet Stone's face remained unchanged. He squinted his eyes at her and saw the tiny wires to a muggle head set thing running from the tiny things in her ears to a little player attached to her upper arm. He jerked the thing off her arm and chucked it, wires and all, across the field. She was fuming mad.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Stone demanded. She didn't have the disadvantage of height when she was on a broom this far from the ground.

"You can remove yourself from my pitch right this instance, Stone," Oliver snapped as he pointed to the ground. "I will speak to you later about your future on this team."

Stone hesitated a moment before she shot off toward the ground, pulling up just a breath's width from the ground. Oliver had visible cringed, certain that she was going to crash, but no, she had pulled out of it and landed smoothly on her feet. She was grumbling loudly as she headed back toward the locker room, carrying her broom, with out looking back at the rest of the team.

"You have your hands full with that one," Angelina said as she pulled up next to Oliver.

"Yes, I can see that," Oliver snapped. Angelina made a face.

"Hey, don't get all snappy with me because you can't control one sassy little twenty-year old keeper," Angelina snapped back before she rejoined the ranks of her other team mates. Oliver shook his head and rejoined the players to do some more practice before calling it a day.


	2. Loosing Control

Wood and Stone

"Loosing Control"

Oliver couldn't believe how sore the back of his neck was when he headed into the showers that evening. He had to agree, the team was good, but they needed work. It was obvious that without needing to say much that the team would be practicing a lot before their first game against the Holland Hillers. He knew that team fairly well; his rival Marcus Flint was a chaser on that team.

Oliver cringed as he stepped under that water. He wouldn't have been so sore if Justin hadn't sent a bludger his way quite so aggressively. Oliver had just missed it by millimeters, but probably gave himself whiplash doing so. Justin had grinned and flew off, and Oliver wondered if he needed to be keeping an eye on that kid as well.

"So, Wood, how do you think it is going?" Angelina asked from outside of Oliver's shower stall. He felt his face flush with embarrassment at the thought that the only thing that maintained his modesty was a flimsy shower curtain.

"Good enough," Wood called as he rinsed the soap from his body. He shut off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist before exiting the shower stall.

"Fair enough," Angelina said as she let her eyes travel from his face to his body. She had to admit, he was looking good in his late twenties. His body was still rock hard. She laughed and headed away. She looked back once, and grinned. "I brought her music player thing. I figured you could bring it as a bargaining chip when you go and talk to Stone."

Oliver looked at the tiny device on the bench, nodded before he gathered his clothes, and headed into the men's changing room. Dressed, he took the music player off the bench and apparated back to the front steps of the dormitory building. Usually, no one was allowed to leave without Wood or his permission. Without his brother, George was left to over-see their booming business, so Oliver knew he would be out for the evening. He could hear Justin and Stone bickering down the hallway. Oliver sighed and followed the sound to the room down the hall from his own.

"Just because I didn't go to your stupid school doesn't mean I am an inferior Quidditch player," Stone snapped at Justin. Her hair was slightly damp, and had sprung into waves and curls. Oliver realized that she must have been the girl who had call him "Grandpa" on her way in earlier. That made him like her even less.

"You went to Beauxbatons. What could they have taught you about Quidditch?" Justin laughed. Stone clenched her fists, as if wanting to haul off and punch him.

"Plenty enough," Stone growled. She stepped forward, a good six inches shorter than Justin was. "I play better than you do, Finch-Fletchery."

"Ooh, are we back to calling each other by last names, Stone?" Justin teased. He glanced over his shoulder to see Oliver standing in the doorway. He stepped back and headed towards the door. "Later, Gigi."

"Shut up, and this isn't over," Stone called as Justin disappeared from the doorway.

"We need to talk," Oliver said. He tried to make his voice serious, but not scary serious. Stone didn't seem to notice. She had gone back to doing what she had been doing before Justin had interrupted her: looking for something under her bed.

"Well, talk," Stone snapped at him. She looked up at him for a moment before continuing to rummage under her bed. Oliver felt a bit foolish hovering over her when she was belly to the floor looking under her bed for something.

"Can't you even stop goofing off and follow me to the conference room for more privacy?" Oliver demanded as he remained in her doorway.

"Why should I leave my room? I don't have a roommate. If you are worried that someone will over hear you yelling at me, close the damn door. Otherwise say your peace and get on with you," Stone shot back as she looked at him over her shoulder. She cheered a moment as her hand found what she was looking for: her slipper. She added it to her foot, completing the pair. Oliver closed the door and took a seat at the desk, thinking it was the more authority-inducing place he could sit.

"You have a really bad attitude," Oliver started. Stone looked at him, her arms crossed against her, with a smirk on her face.

"So?" Stone asked.

"So, this is a team. This isn't just you playing Quidditch. This is team Fawkes playing Quidditch. If you can't be a team player, than you need not be here," Oliver said. Stone raised an eye brow at him.

"And should I decide to leave?" Stone asked frowning. Oliver nodded to the door.

"I will replace you before your bed grows cold," Oliver told her.

"Since I am destined to never play while being a reserve keeper, why should I care?" Stone asked as she glared at him.

"You don't know that you won't ever play," Oliver said quickly. Stone laughed, but without the sound of pleasure in it. It was a cold, mirthless laugh.

"Right," Stone said as she turned away. She glanced back at him. "You can leave now if you are done telling me that I have a bad attitude."

"That's not all," Oliver said. He looked down at the notes he had written. "You're leaving your left hoop open too much. You need to work on that."

"Aye, aye captain," Stone said saluting him but not joining him as he rose to his feet. Oliver headed to the door.

"Do you want it open or closed?" Oliver asked as he stepped into the hall way. Stone shrugged.

"Surprise me," Stone said as she twirled her wand between her fingers like a pencil. She wasn't looking at him, but was focusing out the small window over the bay where ships were entering the harbor. Oliver left the door open and headed back to his own room before he realized that he still had Stone's muggle music player. He turned and head back down the hall, but found her room empty.

"Where is Stone?" Oliver asked as he entered the common room. Luna and Kip, the reserve seeker, were sitting and playing wizarding chess. They both looked up, startled by the sheer loudness of Oliver's voice in the rather quiet common room.

"She went out," Luna said loftily once she regained her composure.

"She WHAT?" Oliver boomed angrily.

"Went out, I thought that I was clear. Perhaps I was wrong, Kip?" Luna asked confused. "Was I speaking Snarkeneese again?"

"No," Kip murmured with pink cheeks. He scooted down further in his chair.

"No, Luna, what I mean is who told her that she could go out? Everyone is supposed to get permission to leave," Wood explained through clenched teeth. He didn't know what was more frustrating: dealing with sassy mouth girls or dealing with daft ones.

"Well, I supposed her conscious gave her permission," Luna said shrugging as she made an illegal wizarding move.

"You can't move there," Kip told her gently as he broke up a squabble between Luna's knight and Luna's rook.

"No, I am pretty certain I can. They can share the space," Luna said to Kip. She directed her attention to the board. "Can't you two share the space?"

"No, Luna, it is against the rules," Kip told her. Luna shrugged.

"I ought to be able to move them wherever," Luna said as she moved her knight elsewhere. Oliver shook his head and left the common room. He was surrounded by morons. Alicia came across him sitting on the stairs, glaring at the door.

"Awe, come on, Wood," Alicia defended after he told her what he was doing. "No one has enforced that rule in forever."

"Well, now it is being enforced," Oliver said. "I need all of you on your top games to beat the Holland Hillers."

"We will," Alicia promised. "And, anyways, Justin and Gigi are on the reserves team. We won't even use them during the game. Who cares what they do?"

"He left with her? Now they are both in trouble," Oliver growled. "I have to learn to control them if I want to be in control of my team. Only my first day, and I might just need to cut Stone from the team."

"No, Wood, really?" Alicia asked. She shook her head. "She's a fantastic player, and not just Keeper. She is rather versatile. She plays all the positions rather well."

"Well, if she keeps up this path, I won't know will I? I can't have one person undermining me on my own team," Oliver snapped.

"You know, she is a lot like you," Alicia said as she began to walk away. "Maybe that is part of the problem? It's hard to have too much personality on one team."

Oliver shot her a scathing look, but laughed. He had learned to value her opinion over the course of his Hogwarts Quidditch career. If she said something, then there was a good probability that she was correct, especially when it came to personalities of other players. Alicia left him alone sitting on the stairs and headed up to the room she shared with Angelina.

"What was Wood shouting about now?" Angelina said without even looking up. Alicia grinned devilishly.

"He found out that Stone and Finch-Fletchery left the dormitory," Alicia said. Angelina shook her head.

"You did tell him where they went, didn't you?" Angelina asked. Alicia grinned.

"He's the captain. He is supposed to know that kind of stuff already. I am not making his life any easier. He isn't going to make our lives easier, anyways," Alicia said. Angelina shook her head laughing.

"You know, we are all going to pay for this tomorrow," Angelina told her as she held her sides.

"Ah, we would have paid for it either way," Alicia said as she closed the door to their dorm room.

Oliver sat on the stairs while the dormitory fell silent. A house elf brought him a glass of milk and a few cookies on its way through, and Oliver said good night to each team mate as they headed upstairs to their rooms. Oliver pulled the muggle music player out of his pocket, remembering hearing about it. Curious and downright bored, he placed the tiny hearing devices in his ears and pressed the buttons until music cued up, beginning to play. Oliver had never heard of this music, but assumed it was muggle music since it was on the muggle player.

Oliver looked up to see Justin and Stone standing there in front of him. Neither looked shocked to see him there, as if they had expected that he liked hanging out on the stairs. Oliver drew himself up to his frightening height, the height added to by the steps he was standing.

"What the hell is the meaning of leaving with out permission?" Oliver said. Justin and Stone both flinched. Stone stepped forward, a few stairs up with a cringe on her face and pulled the headphone buds out of his ears. His voice was still echoing unnaturally loud and people had come out of their room.

"You really shouldn't listen to these things that loud," Stone chastised. "And you shouldn't try talking over them."

"Point noted," Oliver snapped. His face was red from embarrassment as he looked up at the others. "Get to bed, it past lights out!"

"As if we wanted to be up," grumbled Alicia and Angelina in unison as the headed back to bed rather grumpily. One by one, the others returned to their beds, all eager to get back to sleep. Oliver turned to look at Justin and Stone.

"Where did you two go?" Oliver demanded. Justin went to open his mouth but Stone beat him to it.

"Jealous, Wood?" Stone alleged with a deviant smile on her face. Wood frowned.

"No, why would I?" Oliver asked despite himself. He hated when people took control of his conversations.

"Because here you are, some old man who is nearly thirty at home waiting up for the hot, young players who are having the time of their lives, reveling in their youth," Stone said as she took Justin by the hand and led him up the stairs. She flashed Oliver the most disarming smile he had ever seen as she past. "Good night, Grandpa."

Oliver heard Justin laugh and whisper something as they turned the corner and disappeared from the main hallway. Oliver sat down, the stupid muggle player still in his hand. She had done it again. She had controlled the situation that he should have had control of, and he had failed to return this piece of muggle article. He was fuming as he headed to bed, knowing he needed to regain control of his team or there would be no hope of beating the Holland Hillers.

Oliver looked at the clock to see it was nearly midnight. He tossed the player up on his desk and threw himself across his bed. He would try and catch a few hours of sleep before he started phase one of his master plan to become the best professional Quidditch team in current history.

Oliver drifted off to sleep quickly, and begun to dream of Quidditch. It was his favorite thing to dream about, being the top player at the World Quidditch Cup. His team was flying spectacular because of him, single handedly of course. The dream took a twist as Stone entered, being defiant as ever. She kept doing the opposite of his commands, and he found himself growing impatient with her. Then the dream changed, and he was standing in the lockers. They were all covered in mud, grass, and blood. Oliver looked around, but the other players had seemed to disappear.

_"Come help me clean up, Oliver," Stone said softly as she began to disrobe slowly. She was shy, almost hesitant and completely unlike herself._

_"That's probably not a good idea," Oliver said though he stepped forward. He was hesitant and uncertain. His fingers touched her face and he leaned forward to lower his mouth to hers…_

"What the hell!" Oliver shouted as her jerked upright in his bed. His alarm clock was blaring loudly and he groaned, rolling over to turn it off. On his stomach, he became painfully aware of how his body betrayed his dreams' twist of events. He growled as he returned to his back and looked up at the dark ceiling above him. "Great!"


	3. Finders… Seekers

Wood and Stone

"Finders… Seekers"

"I want everyone down to the pitch in ten minutes!" Oliver's voice boomed and echoed through the dormitory. It was nearly seven in the morning, the sun was just rising. Through out the dorms, people could be heard griping and groaning. Satisfied, Oliver headed out to the front step of the building and apparated straight into the locker room of the Quidditch pitch.

Fifteen minutes later, Oliver was staring in disbelief at the poor turn out to the field. He looked around, and found just as many first string players were missing as the reserves. George, Alicia, and Angelina stood leaning against one another in human triangle to stay on their feet. David, the reserve chaser, was resting on the damp and dewy grass. Shawn and Jeff, the other reserve chasers, were sword fighting with their broom handles. Toby, the other reserve beater, was asleep standing up on his two feet and snoring.

"Where in the hell are my seekers? Where is the rest of my team?" Oliver shouted loudly. Alicia looked at him scornfully for yelling so early in the morning. "You know what? I don't care! There will be hell to pay when those lazy bums show up! All of you will run the course until they arrive, so if you know a way of summoning them, I suggest you do it."

"That's not fair!" The team exclaimed but Oliver shook his head. "They are at…"

"I don't want to hear it," Oliver said. He flicked his wand. "Obsticlous Asperities. Now go!"

A complicated obstacle course appeared and the players mounted their brooms swearing and took off to run the course. From seven until nine thirty, they ran the course each time becoming more dirty and frustrated. A misting rain had begun and dirt dripped down the faces of the players. Oliver glanced over at the locker room, a quite pissed off look on his face as Luna, Jimmy, Justin, Kip, Tabitha, and Stone headed across the field under umbrellas. They were all wearing the same type of clothing. Navy and green bottoms and white shirts with navy sweater vests with green trim.

"Where in the hell do you think you six have been?" Oliver snapped at them as they glanced at their counter parts. "Training started at seven this morning."

The others looked at each other rather uncomfortably and went to open their mouths but slammed them shut as Stone stepped out from under the umbrella she and Justin had been sharing. She stood a foot from Oliver, her face tilted up at him.

"We were where we are supposed to be today. You really suck as a captain if you don't even know where nearly half of your team was for two hours today," Stone snapped sassily as the others landed, spraying the uniformed group with mud and dirt.

"You know what, Gabrielle," Oliver said with great frustration. He pointed to the locker room. "I have had enough of you already, and since I am not going anywhere, you can march yourself right into that locker room. You can remove your belongings from the locker room and your dorm. You are off the team."

Stone's mouth fell open for a moment before she snapped it closed and nodded once. She turned, covered in dirt and mud from George and the other's landing, and headed to the locker room. She made the door slam loudly behind her, echoing across the field. Alicia and Angelina shouted intelligibly at him with deep contempt and out rage.

"Tell him where you guys were," Alicia barked at the other five who remained silent. "Don't you care that Gigi just got kicked off the team?"

"Of course," Justin said as he stepped forward. "Wood, we were late to practice because we all had class down at the University. Sisters of Mercy University."

"All of you?" Oliver asked after a second, his eyes lingering on the crest of arms that the college had each student wear. Five heads nodded eagerly, as if they would prefer not to set the hot-head off at all cost.

"Yes, all of them," Angelina said to Oliver. "You need to go into that locker room and drag her back out here. I didn't just run that course, getting my ass kicked so that she could get kicked off the team."

"If anything, make her run it as punishment," George laughed as he nursed a bruised lip he had gotten from one of the challenges.

"Fine," Oliver sighed as he headed slowly to the locker room. He hoped that she had already left, but found her sitting on the bench. She was looking at her hands, crossed against her muddy school uniform. She didn't look up.

"What do you want? Come to yell at me some more?" Stone asked as she finally looked up at him. He had expected her to be crying, he had prepared himself for that, but she wasn't crying. She was just sitting there.

"Look, you should have just told me that you were at the university," Oliver chastised. Stone laughed coldly.

"We both know you don't want me on this team," Stone said. "If you had read our files, you would have known we were at the university. You would know that Justin has physical therapy at St. Mungo's on alternating nights, which he has to be taken to and from because he gets confused. You would know that Luna sees a therapist for her night terrors at least once a week. If you read our files, you would know that George's mother always has us all over for Sunday Supper once a month."

"Well, I admit, I haven't read the files yet," Oliver said.

"You are supposed to know us better than we know ourselves," Stone snapped at him. "You come in here like you are the god of Quidditch; you kick me out of my position without even seeing me play because you assume that you are better. You favor all of those who went to Hogwarts. You are a terrible captain. I don't know what Mr. Westall thought when he picked you."

"It's not your place to question his decisions, nor mine. You are one player on this team, and I expect you to act like a team player," Oliver snarled at her. She frowned at him, her arms now crossed tightly against her. "Now, you get out there and run that damn course like everyone else and I don't want to hear another word from you."

"Ever again?" Stone challenged. Oliver pointed to the door.

"You keep your comments to yourself," Oliver snapped. "Go!"

Stone joined the others on the field as the rain and wind whipped up around them. The others who had run the course for two hours previous sat back and watched as the six university students took to the skies and ran the course. They collectively cringed at each unexpected impact of various players into the course as well as each other. Finally after what seemed like forever, Oliver called them down. Not a single one of them complained.

"Ok, so I can definitely see where improvement can be made," Oliver laughed as the youngest six of his team looked like they had been through hell. They were all bleeding and battered. Where his older players had looked the same, the younger players seemed to be looking worse, and they were muddier, too.

"Brilliant," Stone cursed under her breath. Oliver shot a look at her, but said nothing. She clamped her mouth shut and didn't say anything else. She had her arms crossed, as did Luna and Tabitha. They had removed their sweater vests and with white shirts, it was more modest to keep their arms crossed.

Oliver paced the field, talking about strategy, but no one seemed to listen. They were shivering cold, and a few had taken out their wands to cast spells to siphon off some of the water and mud. Rolling his eyes, he realized that no one was listening to him. He sent the older ones back to the lockers and decided to hang back and work with the younger players a moment.

"Luna, Kip, as seekers you really need to move faster out there," Oliver said as he looked at the two. He instinctively looked over at Stone, but she held her tongue.

"Ok," Luna said. She stepped closer to Kip as if trying to steal some body heat. Oliver mounted his broom.

"Ok, let's see if you can keep up," Oliver shouted as he took off down the field toward the course. The six groaned loudly as they mounted their brooms and followed Oliver through the course. As the creator of the course, he knew the twists and turns like second nature. Kip was the first knocked off his broom, and Jimmy was second. Justin threw up his hands and surrendered, followed by Tabitha and Luna. They headed off the field and to the locker room.

"Ready to give up?" Oliver shouted back at Stone. She was even with the brush of his broom.

"Nope," Stone said laughing. She wasn't even trying to pass him, just following on his tail winds. Oliver groaned. It was a tactic he could stand, because it didn't let him go as fast as he could.

"Get out of my tail wind, Stone," Oliver shouted at her.

"Make me, Wood," Stone called back. Oliver stopped short and suddenly. Stone hadn't been anticipating that, and she shot forward at a dangerous speed. Hindered by rain, she could barely make out the obstacles in time to miss them. Oliver cringed as he followed after her, to finish the course. He heard a sicken crunch as a bludger-like ball shot out a them, catching her arm slightly. Still, she continued on, not willing to let Oliver beat her. She pulled to a stop and landed neatly on the ground. Wood followed suit.

"You ok?" He asked. She smiled.

"Never better," Stone lied smiling. "I am going to hit the showers. I have an afternoon class."

Oliver watched her walk off the pitch and he chased after her once he made vanished the obstacle course. The locker room was near silent, with only the sound of a single shower over in the far corner. Oliver thought better of taking the next stall and chose the furthest stall from hers. It would be less weird. Oliver gathered his stuff and glanced over at Stone as she reached her left hand into test the temperature of the water. She gathered her supplies and Oliver noticed that she seemed guarded about her right arm.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Oliver asked as he waited for his own water to warm. She nodded and smiled.

"Like I said before, never better," Stone lied. She pulled her hair tie free, letting her muddy locks of brown curls free. She had her back to him and slowly unbuttoned her shirt. She went to reach for the buttons with her right arm and swore.

"Do you need help, Gigi?" Oliver asked suddenly. Stone looked at him over her shoulder, her mouth in the shape of an O and rather mortified. He blushed, unable to believe he had mention such to a team mate.

"No, I think I can manage," Stone said stiffly as she ducked behind the curtain, out of sight. Oliver shook his head in contempt for himself. What in the hell was he thinking? He climbed into his own stall, and stripped down. Careful not to dirty his towel that was hanging beside the shower, he tossed his clothes into a heap outside of the showering vestibule.

Oliver looked down at his body while he cleaned himself of the dirt and rain that clung to him, displeased. His damn body was betraying him, and he didn't understand why. He hadn't been like this since he had been an adolescent. The more he thought about things, the more evident it became, beckoning him to take matters into his own hands.

"This is ridiculous!" He swore quietly to his betrayal. "What the hell do you think you are so perky about?"

Oliver made a point of thinking of brutal Quidditch accidents to take his mind off the part of his body he was choosing to ignore. He groaned uncomfortable as he made quick work of soaping up, running bloody wars through his mind. It was as if his mind was separate from his body. Her humming a few shower stalls over wasn't helping matters. Damn muggle music, he knew the song she was humming rather well because of her player.

Growling, he shut the water off and wrapped himself tightly in his towel. He jerked the curtain open to find Stone stepping out at the same time. Where as his towel was tucked in tightly around his waist, hers was above her breasts, her left hand clung to the overlap casually. She glanced over at him warily and said nothing as she walked into the girls changing area.

Oliver dressed quickly and waited at the opening of the girls' changing room. From where he stood, he couldn't see anything but he heard her swear softly. He shrugged and stood there.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Oliver asked.

"I am fine, alright?" Stone snapped loudly. Oliver frowned, but shrugged.

"Do you want me to wait?" Oliver asked.

"I am a big girl. I can find my way back to the dormitory," Stone said coldly.

"Ok, see you back at the dorms," Oliver said as he apparated back onto the front steps of the dormitory. He entered the building and was pleased to find his team showered and waiting in the common room. He figured that Stone would be just a few minutes, so he opted to wait for her to arrive before beginning.

"Ok, serious, how long does it really take to get back up here?" Oliver snapped as Stone walked in thirty minutes later. She had a long sleeve pull over on and her hair was dry.

"Uh…" Stone mumbled. "Sorry." She quickly took a seat on Justin's left. He patted her arm and Stone cringed. This did not go unnoticed by Oliver, but before he could say anything Angelina asked him about a game plan for their game against the Holland Hillers.

For thirty minutes, Oliver Wood went on about his most passionate subject, speaking as if the Quidditch match was a determining battle in the war to achieve the Quidditch World Cup. In a sense, that was the perfect way to think about it. They needed to win the battles to win the war.

"We hate to interrupt, captain, but we have class in twenty minutes," Stone said quietly, raising her hand. Oliver glanced up at the clock.

"Right, ok," Oliver said hesitantly. "I will catch the rest of you up later, ok?"

Once the six were gone, Oliver dismissed the others, calling Alicia and Angelina to remain. Once the three were alone in the room, he closed the common room door. The two girls remained in their seats as Oliver took his seat. They looked at him expectantly.

"I am thinking of changing up our players a bit, but I need your advice. You two say that Stone is versatile, and I have noticed that Luna and Kip seemed to be a bit timid when it comes to being seeker. I need someone a little more cutthroat out there with us against the Holland Hillers," Oliver said. Alicia and Angelina looked at each other.

"You are thinking of putting Gigi in for Luna or Kip?" Alicia asked. "What about a back up keeper?"

"I am keeper, we don't need a back up keeper," Oliver said confidently. Angelina smirked.

"It is the only response that I would have expected from you, Wood," Angelina laughed. She regained her composure. "I think she would make an excellent seeker."

"She's small, compact, and light weight," Oliver said nodding.

"You make her sound like an economy car," Alicia laughed. Angelina laughed with her. Oliver rolled his eyes.

"But, you think she would be willing to take the position and succeed in it?" Oliver asked them. The girls continued to laugh. "Come on! Spinnet, Johnson, be serious for a change."

"Ok, ok," Angelina said pulling her face serious. "We think she would do it and she would be fine."

"Good, well I am going to go read those files," Oliver said as he rose to his feet. He headed toward the door. "Oh, and keep me informed if there is anything I need to know about but don't, ok ladies?"

"Ok," the girls called waving him out the door.

"Yeah, that'll be the day," Alicia said sticking her tongue out at the door Oliver had just disappeared.

"Are you still mad that Westall didn't make you captain?" Angelina asked. Alicia pouted.

"Of course," Alicia said as they rose to their feet and headed up to their own dormitories.


	4. Dangers of Quidditch

Wood and Stone

"Dangers of Quidditch"

Oliver looked up at the knock and checked his watch. It was nearly eight. He had been reading these stupid files for hours. He looked to the plate that the house elf had brought up. It was stone cold. He laughed.

"Come in," Oliver said as closed Gabrielle Stone's file. Mr. Westall stood there, not smiling. He looked rather upset and entered immediately, followed by a house elf that was carrying him tea. "Mr. Westall, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Nasty business, Wood, nasty business indeed," Mr. Westall said as he took a seat. "There have been attacks here and there on professional Quidditch players. The latest one was last night up the river from here. One of the Holland Hillers, a Marcus Finch… no wait, Fitch. Marcus Fitch. They aren't sure he is going to pull through. He was beaten with a beater bat."

"Oh, wow," Oliver murmured as he thought about his rival. "Do they have any idea who is behind the attack?"

"No clue. There weren't any witnesses," Mr. Westall said as he rubbed his small forehead. "I hate to do this, but I think I am going to have to insist that you ban all unsupervised practices or trips outside of the dormitory or stadium until further notice."

"And the university kids?" Oliver asked. Mr. Westall frowned and handed Oliver a packet of papers.

"You will have to teach them here," Mr. Westall said. "I am going to have a teacher come in twice a week, but the rest of the time, they will just have to do independent studies, just until the psycho is caught. I can't have anything happen to my six youngest players."

"I'll let them know," Oliver said. Mr. Westall nodded and looked down at the file on Oliver's desk.

"She's a real handful, isn't she?" Mr. Westall said.

"Yes, she is, but I think we are making ground," Oliver said quickly. "She's nothing I can't handle. Is this all correct in here?"

"What, her past? Yeah. Born illegitimately to a witch and wizard, she was dumped in an orphanage and stayed there until Beauxbatons sent for her. I think Hogwarts had wanted her too, but she made the choice otherwise," Mr. Westall said. "She's a really sweet kid, though, underneath that tough exterior."

"I am sure," Oliver said nodding.

"Well, I am off. There is an owner's meet to discuss these attacks on Quidditch players," Mr. Westall said. Oliver walked the man out and then signaled for a dormitory meeting in the common room.

One by one, Oliver went over the new rules. This did not go over well with the players at all. There was out rage and a sense of mutiny. Oliver had expected this, and thought it was best to let them just scream and yell about it. Before long, the room grew quiet. Oliver found his eyes resting on Stone, who hadn't said anything while the others were shouting.

"So, school will be held here in the common room twice a week," Oliver said. "A tutor will come in to teach. The rest of the time you six will be responsible for independent study, ok? I have looked at your coursework, and I can't imagine why this can't work."

"Ok," they said. Oliver expected Stone to say something to the contrary, but she had nodded with the rest of them.

"Good," Oliver said suddenly uncertainly. He looked down at his telltale clipboard. "Ok, I have some changes to our line up. Luna, hon, I like you, but you are too sweet to be Seeker, and Kip, you are a great guy, but you are too nice. I am moving you both to reserves. I want to try Gigi as Seeker."

"Ok," Kip and Luna said. Oliver expected some sort of reaction from Stone, but she was staring out the window.

"I presume that it is fine with you, Stone?" Oliver asked loudly. Stone looked over at him, startled.

"What? Yes, I was listening," Stone said. Oliver smirked.

"What did I say?" Oliver challenged.

"Erm, you said we will independently study," Stone said quickly.

"And?" Oliver added smugly. Stone smirked.

"I heard you, you kicked Luna to reserves with Kip and added me as Seeker," Stone replied. "Just because I am not looking at you doesn't mean I am not listening. I listen with my ears and not with my eyes."

"Speaking of listening, I do need to see you after I am done here," Oliver added.

"No, that'll have to wait," Stone said as she checked her wrist watch.

"Excuse me?" Oliver said with a little annoyance in his voice. He didn't like people telling him that things, anything, would have to wait, especially from someone below him.

_'You only wish.'_ A tiny voice in Oliver's head whispered. Oliver hadn't heard from that voice since he was an adolescent, and now it was back with a vengeance it seemed! What in the world was going on with him?

"Well, under your new rule, you have to be the one to accompany Justin to his physical therapy appointment," Stone said matter-of-factly. "You will need to go now or you two will be late."

Oliver nodded and understood. Stone wasn't trying to be insubordinate; she was just trying to remind him of the rules. He smiled at her, but she wasn't looking at him. She was talking to Justin who had stopped in front of her. They were having a heated, whispered argument. In the end, Stone must have won because Justin joined Oliver with the most displeased look on his face.

"Why do you do these appointments so late at night?" Oliver asked as the two headed to St. Mungo's Therapy Clinic. Justin shrugged.

"I like to walk with Gigi at night," Justin said quietly. Oliver shot him a curious look.

"Are you two, you know, together?" Oliver asked. Justin laughed.

"No, no, not that I don't like her, because I do," Justin said quickly as they continued along. "Its just she is so obsessed with Quidditch. I mean, don't get me wrong, I try to live and breathe Quidditch as much as the next player, but there are other things in life than Quidditch."

"Not for me," Oliver said smirking. "I have girls chasing me all the time, wanting to be the next thrill for me, but they are so shallow. Give me Quidditch any day."

"Must be hard being so damn good looking," teased Justin as he continued up the steps to the Clinic. Oliver laughed.

"It is my curse, though I wear it well," Oliver joked as he took a seat. Justin disappeared back toward the back and Oliver picked up the outdated copy of his favorite broomstick magazine: _Which Broomstick?_ He flipped through to the concept brooms that always fascinated him, be he found he couldn't concentrate. His mind wandered aimlessly until Gigi Stone floated into his mind's eye. He tried to shake her from his mind. She was a girl, duh, and he wasn't interested. Not that he was gay, because he wasn't; it was that girls distracted even the best players.

However, he concluded, there was nothing wrong of thinking about her for a moment. The first thing that popped into his head was her fresh out of the shower, that damn towel wrapped around her loosely, her loose curls damp from the shower. They way she smiled at him, the way her silver-gray eyes sparkled when she discussed Quidditch heatedly. Oliver could feel his heart racing for a moment.

"This is not good," Oliver murmured to himself.

_'No, it's not,'_ his hormonally charged self replied giddily. _'But it is going to be some good fun.'_

"Great," Oliver muttered as he flipped the page of the magazine irritated. A woman who was sitting a few feet from him glanced over at Oliver and shifted uncomfortably before going back to read her magazine.

_'Don't tell me that you aren't interested,'_ the voice challenged gleefully. _'It was so evident by your little condition in the shower earlier.'_

"It's not little," Oliver grunted as he flipped the page to his magazine. The woman glanced over at him again.

_'No, it's not, and if you keep picturing her in that towel, someone is bound to see how much she affects you,'_ the voice taunted_. 'Oh, Woody's wood is growing!'_

"Just shut up!" Oliver hissed to the voice in his head as Justin walked through the door. The woman watched Oliver stand, his sensitive condition apparent and she looked horrified.

"What a nutter!" The woman exclaimed as Oliver and Justin walked out of the clinic. Justin glanced back at the woman.

"What a crazy!" Justin exclaimed as they headed out into the night.

"Yeah," Oliver agreed. He was thankful his mind had regain control of his body and his condition was no longer evident. He blushed. It had been years since he had to worry about things like that, and now that was what twice, three times in so many days. It was mortifying. "So, why does Stone walk you back and forth between these appointments?"

"I told her that I get confused," Justin said. Oliver looked at him skeptically.

"You don't look confused," Oliver said. Justin grinned sheepishly.

"I don't, but I love talking to her," Justin said. He laughed. "I just thought of something. You have to walk all of the girls to do their girly appointments and what not."

"Joy," Oliver said rolling his eyes. He was too old to be embarrassed about womanly things, but he still didn't look forward to such. Oliver hoped that this ban wouldn't last that long. Certainly, someone would be caught soon for attacking the professional Quidditch players. Oliver couldn't pretend that he wasn't happy that Marcus Flint was out of the game. He hated him with a passion.

It was quiet later that evening when Oliver and Justin entered the dormitory building. Oliver looked at his watch to see it was almost ten. Justin headed straight to his bed, poking his head in on Stone a moment to find her asleep. Oliver grabbed Stone's player out of his room and headed to her dorm room. The door was open and he walked in, knocking once. She was asleep, her copy of _Transfiguration Today_ draped across her hips. She was slightly propped up in bed, her long lashes kissing her cheeks. Oliver watched her breathe.

Oliver stood there longer than it was decent, watching her sleep. She sighed and reached for her blanket with her right hand. She groaned in her sleep and instinctively grabbed it with her left hand. Oliver stared at her suspiciously. Maybe in the waking hours, she could pretend that her right arm didn't hurt but in her sleep, her body betrayed her. There was a lot of that going around: bodies betraying their owners. Oliver walked over and sat down on the edge of her bed without thinking. He took the magazine and tossed it onto the spare bed in her room.

"Gigi," Oliver whispered as he lowered his mouth to her ear. "Hey, Gigi, wake up."

"Hmm?" Stone mumbled still very much asleep.

"You hurt your arm, didn't you?" Oliver asked as his hand went to her shoulder. He gripped it lightly, his fingers touching her skin. He could feel heat and blood rushing from all point south.

"What? No, of course not," Stone lied sleepily as she pressed her cheek against the hand he had on her shoulder. Her lips looked so soft, a rich rose color, and inviting there, just millimeters from the flesh of his hand. Oliver's heart was pounding hard. He would have been content to stay like that the rest of the night, but the Quidditch captain in him told him he couldn't. Oliver took her right arm in his hand and squeezed.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Oliver said as he released. She had grimaced so visibly, tears sprung to her eyes. There was no denying it.

"It's just a little bruised, that's all," Stone said as she finally opened her eyes to look at him. She looked uncertainly at him, and Oliver retracted his hand from her shoulder but not before his body registered that her heart was racing, as it was felt on his forearm.

"I am not buying that," Oliver said. He stood. "I am going to take you to have it scanned and healed. You should have told me earlier, and I could have killed two birds with one stone when I took Justin down there."

"Can't it wait until the morning?" Stone asked sleepily as she stood. Oliver couldn't help but notice how long and slender her legs were for such a short person. She was perfectly proportionate. He shook his head to clear his not-so-pure thoughts.

"Not if you want to be starting Seeker in the game on Monday," Oliver said quickly as he turned his back to her and headed out the door. Stone took it as an invite to dress privately, but Oliver knew the truth. His body had, again, betrayed him. The last thing he wanted was for her to see how she made him feel.

"Ready?" Stone asked sleepily as she joined him at the bottom stairs. She was wearing the muggle clothes he preferred: jeans and a hooded pull-over. He couldn't help but smile at her as she stored her wand in her pocket.

"Yes, come on," Oliver said gruffly. She made a face at him.

"You know, this really can wait until morning. I have done fine with it all day, so long as I don't touch anything with it or touch it," Stone joked. Oliver cracked a smile at her.

"No, this is best," Oliver murmured as the two of the apparated from the front steps of the dormitory to the steps of the main campus of St. Mungo's Hospital of Magical Maladies and Injuries.

"I bet it would be so much quicker to travel like that with Justin to the clinic," Stone comment. "But then, Justin is so much easier to talk to than you."

"Do you like Justin?" Oliver asked as he held the door for her. Stone smiled and shook her head.

"Justin is great, really, but I am too busy to deal with anything that will take time away from Quidditch. I live and breathe Quidditch, there is nothing else in life that intense and fulfilling," Stone rambled as Oliver began filling out the paperwork. "I mean, granted, I am great looking. A little conceited, yes, but people usually dig it. It gets a little annoying these men following me around as if I am some goal to be won. Quite annoying."

_'God, she sounds just like me,'_ Oliver said to himself.

"Gabrielle Stone," the healer called. Stone stood up and looked at Oliver hesitantly.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Oliver asked. Stone looked at him hesitantly before she nodded.

"Probably for the best," Stone said shrugging. Oliver stood and followed her and the healer to the exam room. The healer poked her arm harshly, causing Stone to jerk it back. She probably would have sworn at the woman, but there was a thermometer under her tongue.

"She doesn't have a temp, she has a bruised arm," Oliver said as the healer took a hand held scanner and ran it over Stone's arm. The healer shook her head.

"No, my boy, her arm is broken," the Healer said. She turned to Stone. "Did your boyfriend do this to you?" The Healer nodded toward Oliver and Stone spit the thermometer out of her mouth.

"_Of course_ _not,_ I play Quidditch," Stone said indignantly.

"Fine, I just was checking," the Healer said quickly. "I am going to send out OsteoOrthe in to deal with this arm."

"Will I be able to play on Monday?" Stone asked quickly.

"You will need to ask the OsteoOrthe," the Healer said as she left.

"I can't _believe_ the nerve of that woman," Oliver said as he picked Stone's hooded pull-over off the chair and began to fold it. He wasn't looking at her.

"Just because you come off as an arrogant, conceited Quidditch captain doesn't mean you would ever hurt me," Stone said distractedly. She was flipping through a tabloid that stated that Dumbledore had been reincarnated into a rare tree on Hogwarts. "As if we even dated each other," Stone added quietly. Oliver could help but grin.

"It's not _that_ far fetched," Oliver said grinning. Stone looked up at him uncertainly and she smiled hesitantly.

"Well, any ways, she had a lot of nerve assuming," Stone said as the OsteOrthe came in with his tools and a bottle of smoking liquid. Oliver slipped her left hand into his as the good healer went to work. He hoped that it wouldn't be too painful, because at this moment, Oliver Wood was feeling very protective of Gabrielle Stone. He couldn't explain it, he just knew how he felt.


	5. The Final Practice

Wood and Stone

"The Final Practice"

Oliver Wood couldn't explain it, even if he wanted to, and he certainly wasn't about to try. It felt as if someone over inflated his lungs, but that didn't even touch on how he felt. He was confused. He had liked girls before, but never like this. At the moment, they were all laying about the common room eating lunch. Ideally, they probably should have sat down in the large dining room, but that was so informal. Oliver was sitting with Alicia, Angelina, and George eating. Oliver glanced over to where Stone was sitting with Justin, Kip, and Luna.

"You know, if you stare any longer, your eyes will burn her image on the back of your brain," George teased as he sprinkled a little salt on his food.

"What?" Oliver asked confused. Alicia and Angelina giggled.

"You are staring at Stone," George said as he lowered his voice. Oliver laughed and shook his head.

"No, I am not," Oliver denied with a grin. "I am trying to get an idea how much longer we will be spending on lunch. That way, we can head out to the pitch."

"Nice cover, but we know better," Angelina said grinning at him.

"Whatever," said Oliver as he rolled his eyes and focused on his food. Oliver caught himself glancing over at the little group of four as the stood to throw their plates in the wash basin the house elf left out for them. Stone glanced over at him and smiled slightly before turning back to Justin.

"See you at the pitch," Justin called as he waved at the groups of others. Oliver went to stand and tell them otherwise, but the four were out the front door and gone before he could open his mouth.

"Some respect they show you," George said indignantly with a grin on his face.

"The folly of youth," Oliver said as he wolfed down the rest of his food. He tossed his plate into the wash basin and looked at the others. "I want you down at the pitch in ten minutes, ok?"

"Ok," the others called. George shook his head as he walked out to the front step with Oliver.

"You know, it wouldn't be the end of the world if you fell for a girl, and she fell for you," George told him. "You could get married and have a bunch of little Quidditch players. You know, none of us is getting any younger."

"I am not _that_ old," Oliver protested as he closed the door.

"You a hell of a lot closer to thirty than to twenty," George taunted.

The two apparated to the locker room and stopped, frozen to the place they apparated. The scene that lay before them was shocking and amusing. Kip and Justin were down on their knees, faces down in prayer or worship while Luna and Stone stood on the benches before them. Stone had Oliver's Quidditch robes on with a bra on over it; a pair of what he hoped was clean black panties on her head like a crown. She was holding her broom, as if it was some sort of powerful scepter, and dictating to her 'loyal' subjects who were giggling and laughing below.

"As King of Quidditch, I _demand_ that we win this game on Monday against the Holland Hillers, we will _beat down_ the enemy, and _place_ their severed heads upon stakes outside of stadium for all to see that we, the Fawkes, are the _most powerful_ Quidditch players in the world. _Failure_ is not an option, or it shall be _your heads_ upon the stakes, and _your hearts_ on my platter!" Stone dictated with a force and passion that Oliver usually used when he was trying to pep up the team. Stone and Luna were laughing hysterically until they realized that they had an audience of George and Oliver. The two men looked at each other with the most amusing smirks.

Luna hopped down from the bench a second before Stone did, and she busied herself at her locker before slamming it and heading out to the pitch. Kip was still laughing as he and Justin headed out the door to the pitch, Justin stopping only long enough to snatch the pair of panties off Stones head and shoved them into her hand. Stone was beet red with embarrassment as she thrust her bra and panties back into her locker.

"I am going to need my Quidditch robes back, if you don't mind," Oliver said stepping forward. He had a serious look as Stone tried to soften his seriousness with a slight smile, but Oliver's face remained unchanged. Stone pulled the robes over her head and handed them to him sheepishly.

"I was just playing around," Stone said quickly. "I mean, I _know_ I am not the King of Quidditch."

"Go," Oliver said as he pointed to the door that lead to the pitch. Stone was more than happy to comply, and she ran out of the locker room in a hurry. Oliver turned to George once Stone had vacated the locker room. "Go on and laugh. I know you want to laugh."

"You have to admit, that was the funniest thing we have seen in a while," George roared as tears and laughter erupted from him. Oliver was laughing as hard as George was, too.

"Yeah, that was hilarious," Oliver said as they finally caught their breaths. The others began to join them in the locker room, and before long they were all heading toward the pitch. Oliver pulled his Quidditch robes on to find that they smelled a little like bubble gum and magnolias: her smell.

The four stood looking rather guiltily on the pitch in a straight line. They held their brooms to their right, except for Stone who held her broom on the left. They didn't look at the other players on the team; they just glanced guiltily at each other. Oliver crossed his arms and walked back and forth in front of all of them a few time.

"Ok, so let's run though the game plan," Oliver barked as he put his serious Captain of Quidditch face on, his expression as serious as ever. "Chasers, you know we need to get as many points as we can, we don't want to just beat them, we want to annihilate them. Beaters, you keep those bludgers away from our chasers and if you can, our seeker. Seeker, you get that Snitch before the other guy. As Keeper, I will keep them from scoring."

The two teams took to the sky, thankful that there wasn't any rain. Oliver had let loose the balls before they did; Luna went to be keeper for the reserves team. They were playing for blood, as Oliver had shouted when Kip had opted to stop versus body check Stone. Not that Oliver wanted Stone to get hurt, but he needed all of his players to be willing to do whatever it took to win.

"For Christ sake, you have to be more aggressive!" Wood shouted across the pitch as Stone ducked a bludger and grabbed Kip on her dive so he wouldn't get hurt.

"I am not about to let one of my team mates get hurt!" Stone snapped back at him.

"I gather that, but you need to treat the reserves team as if they were the opposing team," Oliver shouted at her as he flew to where she had pulled to a stop. He was inches from her at this point, able to smell her bubble gum that she was chewing. He saw that she had a new music player, a different color than the one he had been meaning to give back to her.

"What?" Stone snapped after a second. "I can hear just fine with the damn headphones in, what's the problem."

"Nothing," Oliver snapped. "Just get out there and play like you actually are passionate about the sport."

"How dare you! I am very passionate about the sport, Wood. Quidditch is all I live for, it is the blood in my veins, the breath in my lungs, the beat of my heart," Stone yelled at him as he flew back to his goal posts. Oliver glanced back at her, but he continued back to his position.

"I want to apologize, Kip, if I hurt you," Stone told him quickly. Kip understood and nodded before they tore off in opposite directions. Stone rushed high above the action of quaffles and bludgers in search of her golden prize. She pressed the button to her player until the music was nearly deafening. She could hear nothing else but the beats of her music and the words that soothed the warrior in her.

Kip hovered near by, though Stone could not hear or see him, she could feel him. She saw the faintest glint of gold near Luna's goal post and she took off like a bullet fired from a gun should; weaving in and out of the chasers, beaters, quaffles, and bludgers. They past in such proximity that Oliver was certain that she should have collided with each of them. The snitch led her across the field again, Kip pulling even with her. His arm reached for it and Stone slammed her broom into his, Kip went left and Stone went right. They broke within a meter of Oliver. Kip had just as much fire and determination in his eyes. They were battling for the death.

Stone's hand reached for the snitch while Kip's reached for it as well. They collided and dove for the ground head-first, the two bouncing rather unceremoniously from their brooms to their backs. The two looked up, breathing, and panting, the wind all but knocked out of them, but Stone had won. The Snitch struggled against her crushing grip on the golden ball. Oliver rushed to the ground with the other players, but neither Kip nor Stone made a move to stand.

"Are you two nutters ok?" Oliver asked as he stood above them. They were red faced, sweaty, and filthy.

"Yeah," Stone said as she ignored the hand that Oliver had offered her. Kip nodded. Stone struggled to a sitting position and climbed to her feet. She shoved the Snitch into Oliver's open, out stretched hand. "Happy? We won."

Stone sulked off the pitch and took a seat on the bench as she accessed the scrapes on her arm. She was angry that she let Oliver get to her that way. She was fuming as she determined that she wouldn't die from the blood loss of her abrasions. She poured herself a cup of lemon-lime Dragonaide. While not really a fan of it, it was what all the professional Quidditch players drank.

"When you are done sulking, do you think you can join the rest of us?" Oliver snapped at her.

"Yeah," Stone grunted as she stood up from the bench. She sighed and kicked off the ground. She felt a little like pouting, but that was counter productive. She knew Oliver had the team's best interest in mind when he told her to be more aggressive.

"Ok, team, that was great. Glad to see the seekers ready to actually put some hustle on their flying," Oliver said. "That killer spirit is what is going to win us the match against Holland Hillers on Monday. Great job. George, you had something to announce?"

"Yeah, now, remember that my mom is having us all over for team dinner on Sunday night, so bring your appetites and you fat pants," George said loudly as he grinned at them. "She says she is making a huge chocolate cake to top dinner off, so as always, we will sneak the remaining of that back to the dorms."

"Right," Oliver said. He ran his finger down the list on his clipboard. "It looks like the after party is being held at Blanco a del Verde, and I would like it to be celebrating our win and not the Hillers, so lets keep that in mind, ok? As I think it was mentioned to me earlier, I _demand_ that we win this game on Monday against the Holland Hillers; we will _beat down_ the enemy, and _place_ their severed heads upon stakes outside of stadium for all to see that we, the Fawkes, are the _most powerful_ Quidditch players in the world. _Failure_ is not an option, or it shall be _your heads_ upon the stakes, and _your hearts_ on my platter!"

Everyone laughed except for Kip, Justin, and Luna who just chuckled uncomfortably. Stone didn't even crack a smile; she just blushed and stooped down to tie her shoe. Oliver glanced over at George who just shrugged. Oliver had the nagging feeling that she thought he was making fun of her little display in the locker room.

"Well, if there is no more announcements, have a great rest of the day, and we will be leaving at what four for your mom's place?" Oliver asked as he turned to George. George nodded.

"Sounds good to me," George said.

"Ok, well, you can fall out," Oliver said. Most of the team headed back to the locker rooms, but Luna and Stone hung back. Oliver looked at them chit-chatting. Luna was lazily gazing up at the bright blue sky and Stone was still tying her shoe. Luna glanced over at Oliver and said something to Stone who looked like she shrugged.

"Are you girls coming?" Oliver called to them. Luna shrugged and Stone stood up from her position.

"Luna and I are going to practice a bit more," Stone said quickly. "We will be along shortly. Don't worry about us."

"I am sorry, but rules are rules. You can not practice alone," Oliver said. Stone rolled her eyes.

"This pitch is protected from anyone but team mates of the Fawkes entering it," Stone told him. "It keeps other teams from being able to spy on us as we practice. I would have thought that as our captain, you would have known that."

"What is your problem, Stone?" Oliver snapped at her as he walked up to her. "I am captain, and what I say goes. This isn't one of those democracies where we all take a hand-raised vote. This is, as you put it earlier, a monarchy except that I am King, not you."

Oliver towered above her and he looked down on her as he spoke. Stone looked up, her face void of any expression. She could feel the rage boiling underneath the surface, and for a moment, she was certain that she was going to explode. Luna must have sensed it too, because she stepped away from the two of them and ran off to the locker room.

"Sorry, your highness," Stone said coldly, willing the anger to simmer under the surface. "I just thought that you would like for me to get some more practice in as seeker from our previous seeker. Forgive me."

Stone walked off the field in a huff and right into Justin who had come to see what was taking her so long. He glared at Oliver over her shoulder but didn't say anything. He went to put his arm across Stone's shoulders but she shoved his arm off and headed into the locker room. Oliver crossed the pitch slowly, and hoped that things would change soon because he was torn between slapping her upside the head and snatching her up in his arms. Both were appealing at the moment.


	6. Sunday Supper

Wood and Stone

"Sunday Supper"

"What do you mean she isn't coming?" Oliver demanded as the thirteen of them stood around the portkey. Justin had just told Oliver that Stone wasn't going to the Burroughs for Sunday supper and Oliver looked royally annoyed.

"Wood, she never comes," Angelina said gently as she touched his shoulder. "She gets nervous in big crowds, I suppose, or perhaps she just rejects anything that is remotely family-like."

"Oh, hell no," Oliver said. He removed his hand from the portkey as it began to glow, readying for departure. "You twelve, go. Stone and I will be right behind you."

"We'll bring you both back a plate!" George laughed as the portkey finally turned bright blue and the group was gone. Oliver shook his head, unable to comprehend why no one ever seemed to have faith in him. He would get her to that dinner, if it killed him.

Oliver stormed back inside the dormitory and ran up the front stairs. He looked in Stone's room, but found it empty. He could hear the water running in the bath room, he didn't knock, just entered with fury in his eyes, and his fist and jaw clenched. Stone stood there, her back to him. She looked over her shoulder at him. She couldn't hide the surprise in her eyes.

"What are you still doing here?" Stone asked as a smile playfully crept across her face.

"You are attending that dinner, whether you like it or not," Oliver said forcibly. She smiled at him as if he was some simpering, pathetic creature to be pitied.

"No, Oliver, I don't think so," Stone said in an overly sweet voice as she turned to him. She was wearing a robe, tightly wrapped and tied around her small frame. "See, I never attend family functions. I fear I would be a social outcast with no real experiences with family to go on, really. I am planning to take a bubble bath and tomorrow I will go out there and be the best damn seeker this team has ever seen. So, unless you plan on joining me in the tub, you should go ahead and join the others."

Stone patted his cheek tenderly and then dipped her hand into the bubble bath to test the temperature. Oliver hesitated, tempted even, by the prospects. She was, after all attractive, and not in the intoxicating way that Tabitha was with her part Vela blood line. Stone was attractive in her personality as well, and he didn't feel punch-drunk around her. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't going to admit that, even to himself.

"You know, I can't leave anyone here alone," Oliver said quietly as Stone put her book on the floor by the tub. "It is on Mr. Westall's orders. Professional Quidditch players are being attacked, including a player from the Holland Hillers' team."

"I had heard," Stone said quietly. "Well, I am getting in this tub, so unless you plan on seeing a whole lot more of me than you need to see, you should at least turn around."

Oliver turned without a second thought and headed out the bathroom door. He sat down on the floor, his back to the door. He could feel his body betraying him south of his belt line, and his face flushed as he imagined her taking her robe off and slipping silently into the soapy water. He could practically hear her sigh as the water crested her shoulders and covered her entire body, not that it took much to do that.

_'I could be doing that,'_ Oliver thought lazily. He smiled at the vision of his body covering hers in such a way.

"So, did you stay or are you gone?" Stone called from inside the bathroom.

"I told you, I can't leave you here by yourself," Oliver called back through the door.

"I am twenty, far old enough to be left alone. I came of age eons ago, practically," Stone called back.

"You should act your age more then," Oliver called.

"Only if you do," Stone called.

"I do," Oliver called.

"Oh, this is ridiculous, Oliver," Stone called. "Just come in here and sit, if you insist on talking to me while I am in the tub."

"What?" Oliver asked as he sprung to his feet. He came in the bathroom almost as quickly as he feet would let him. The shower curtain was pulled nearly all the way closed, and from where he stood, he could only see her face and her very top-most part of her shoulder. He sat down and pressed his back up against the cold cast iron side of the tub, the tiles cool under his jeans. It helped his delicate condition some, but then she would move and the sound of water sloshing would cause these stirrings deep inside him.

"So, you think I am a child, don't you?" Stone asked as her fingers touched his hair. A shiver shot down Oliver's spine.

"This is highly unusual," Oliver murmured.

"What? You being in the bathroom with me?" Stone asked laughing. "We are both consenting adults, Oliver. I know you don't see it that way, but we both are. I think part of your problem is you see yourself as not only better than everyone else, you hold yourself to a higher standard. No one could ever be as great as Oliver Wood."

"And you don't?" Oliver asked as he tried not to focus on her fingers touching the nape of his neck, warm, wet, and soapy.

"I do, to a degree, think no one could ever be as great as Oliver Wood," Stone teased.

"That's not what I meant," Oliver said as Stone squeezed his shoulder slightly. He closed his eyes as her fingers caressed his skin.

"I know what you meant," Stone said quietly. "I do hold myself to a higher standard. No one expects me to be great, so you would think that there is little pressure to be great, and you would be right. But I have to believe that I am better and more than the sum of my parts. No one expects anything of me, so I expect the world of me."

"But wouldn't it be easier just to be you," Oliver asked. He bit his bottom lip to keep from groaning as her hand kneaded his shoulder, just inside of the collar of his shirt.

"Who's to say that this isn't me? I have always had to be tougher. Probably had to do with growing up where I did as I did, only ever having a family when it was convenient for them or the ministry of family affairs mandated it," Stone said quietly. She laughed bitterly a second as her thumb caressed the back of Oliver's neck absentmindedly.

"That is why you don't go to Sunday Supper at the Weasleys?" Oliver asked through gritted teeth.

"Mmm," Stone murmured, deep in her own thoughts. "They understand, and they even told me about how they had become like family to the great Harry Potter. They said that they could be that same thing to me."

"Why don't you let them?" Oliver asked in an almost gasp. Stone's fingers hesitated before they continued to knead his shoulder.

"The situation is different," Stone said quietly. "Harry Potter had no choice in his lack of family. His parents were dead and his living kin were horrible muggles who hated our kind. My parents are very much alive, raising families, and just chose not to be parents to me. My name isn't even their last names. My mom decided that I wasn't good enough for her last name, and my father agreed the same for his last name. My mother chose it as a derivative from my father's name."

"Stone isn't such a bad name. It is strong," Oliver said as her finger strokes the side of his neck firmly. His eyes remained closed to the light of the room and registered only her words and her touch.

"Yeah, well it was of no consolation though," Stone said carelessly. She sighed and pulled her hand away from Oliver suddenly, as if she realized what she had been doing. She blushed and dipped her hands into the water. It had grown cold.

"Is something wrong?" Oliver asked as he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked sad and a bit horrified. Her cheeks were rosy from embarrassment.

"No, everything is fine," Stone lied. She shifted in the water, the bubbles were all gone.

"The water's grown cold, hasn't it?" Oliver asked as if that was what the change in her personality was all about, and he stood. His rear end had gone numb as had his legs.

"Yeah, it has," Stone said. Oliver positioned the towel closest to her and he walked out of the bathroom.

"I am going to head to the common room for a little while," Oliver told her through the closed door. His hand was resting on the smooth surface, his eyes closed, as he imagined her stepping out of the tub. He didn't even worry about his body anymore. It was a marked traitor in his eyes, and there was nothing he could do about it.

_'Well, nothing is putting it lightly, Wood,'_ the adolescent hormonal voice said in a cheery sort of way. _'There is plenty you could do about it, with her even, just walk through that door. Or should you want to take matters into your own hand, just loosen up your belt and let your hands do the talking for you.'_

"Shush," Oliver hushed nearly silently.

"Did you say something, Oliver?" Stone asked through the door.

"No, Gigi," Oliver said hurriedly. "I'll see you in the common room."

"Oh, ok," Stone said hesitantly. Oliver pulled himself away from the door reluctantly and headed down to the common room. He threw himself into a chair and gazed at the Quidditch board. Everyone knew the plan like it was the back of his or her hands, even the reserves.

_'I can't let her get in between me and victory,'_ Oliver thought as he stood and walked over to the board. He touched the tiny seeker icon as if he was reaching out to touch her.

_'There is more to life than a Quidditch victory,'_ the inner adolescent taunted. _'There is love, and making love.'_

_'As if you would know,'_ Oliver snorted at the inner voice.

_'Hell, Wood, ever since you gain control of this body you've only used it for Quidditch. Not once in the past couple of years have you indulged in the carnal pleasures that a woman's body can provide,'_ the inner voice chastised distastefully._ 'I am the only one who ever used this awesome body for its purest creative intension.' _

_'Sorry, I have been busy,'_ Oliver said without real apology.

_'I wouldn't wait forever. She isn't going to wait forever,_' the inner voice said. It laughed, the sound practically echoing in Oliver's head. _'You are such a nutter to talk to you inner voice. Get some real friends.'_

"Shut up, will you?" Oliver growled aloud. He turned to see Stone standing there looking at him quizzically.

"Excuse me?" Stone asked looking rather affronted.

"Oh, not you. I was just talking to… never mind," Oliver said frustrated. He heard the sounds of the others piling through the front door and had never been more thankful to hear the sounds of people interrupting a moment between himself and Stone.

"Are you guys still alive?" Angelina called as she headed toward the common room.

"Are you guys decent?" George teased. Oliver laughed.

"Yeah, we are in the common room," Oliver called to them. The others went into the common room and Oliver pointed at the board.

"Ah, Quidditch? Really?" George asked with mock disappointment. "Only you two could be left alone in a house for two hours and wind up talking about Quidditch." Stone shrugged and smiled at him.

"What can we say? Quidditch is life," Stone said. She extended her hands. "Now, where is my dinner?"

"Never could hold you off long, Stone," George said grinning. She laughed.

"Nope," Stone said. George handed her a plate spelled shut with spellwrap and Stone headed to her favorite table. George produced another and handed it to Oliver.

"Told you that you couldn't get her to come," George teased as the two headed up to Oliver's room to eat and talk.

"So, who all was there?" Oliver asked as he broke the spell and began eating the still steamy food.

"Oh, the usual people. Lee Jordan and Angelina disappeared for a while for a 'walk'," George informed. He laughed. "Walk my arse. I have never seen two more guilty looking people, and Lee was picking straw out of his hair the rest of the evening. Not that I didn't have a go, myself, but I have Alicia here all the time."

"You and Alicia?" Oliver asked with his eyes wide. George smiled and nodded.

"Didn't you know?" George asked. Oliver shook his head.

"How could I?" Oliver asked. George shrugged.

"How could you not? She and I are always being caught in the act. I think that is part of the thrill though," George said shrugging.

"But you guys are always yelling at each other on the pitch," Oliver said. George nodded.

"Love and Quidditch can be kept separate." George said grinning. "You should try it some time. It adds a little something to the thrill of the game, the knowledge that if you win there will be some great celebratory parties. Just one on one."

"I'll keep that in mind, George," Oliver said thoughtfully. George nodded.

"Be sure you do, because I know she must feel the same way. How could she not? You are the great Oliver Wood," George said mussing Oliver's hair.

"What? Who are you talking about?" Oliver said as he played off George's insinuations.

"Don't play coy with me, Wood," George said lowering his voice. "I know that you are crazy about Gigi, and you would have to be crazy to think she isn't crazy about you. You two are perfect for each other. It's kind of weird how alike both of you are, as if you were cut from the same cloth."

"You don't think we could be related, do you?" Oliver asked suddenly. George retched.

"God, I hope not," George said. "It would make all of those feeling that you have been having so very wrong. What would make you even think that she and you are related."

"We have the same interests, we both have brown hair," Oliver said frustrated. "I don't know. We are both just too much alike."

"Do you think that you two could just be compatible?" George asked.

"Possible, but even her last name. She said it was a derivative of her father's name. Maybe she meant in the sense that it is an elemental name, Stone is similar to Wood in that sense, and better sounding than Water or Air," Oliver said quickly.

"You could just try asking her," George said.

"No, I can't complicate things right now, not with Quidditch tomorrow," Oliver insisted.

"I bet you would feel better if you just asked her," George said. "Let her put your mind to ease, and then maybe let her stay the night with you."

"Oh, get out George, really, just go," Oliver groaned. George shrugged and stood. He stopped and turned to look at Oliver who was looking a bit peaky.

"If it is any consolation, I don't think there is a chance in hell she is your sister," George said grinning. "I do think it is possible that she is your other half though."

"Opinion noted," Oliver groaned as he headed to bed. George shrugged and closed Oliver's door before heading off to find Alicia to work off some excess energy before he hit the hay himself. George knew it was early, but they all tried to turn in early on the night before a big Quidditch match.


	7. Match Morning

Wood and Stone

"Match Morning"

It was still early, hours before dawn, and yet Gigi Stone was wide awake. It wasn't as if she had wanted to be awake, it would be a while before the rest of the team would start stirring and she would have to make her appearance. She nearly laughed at this. She was always doing things like this, thinking that she was some sort of royalty, even if only in her own head. She knew that was the main reason that so many people were put off by her.

Gigi couldn't help but be confident and cocky. It was a defense mechanism, in a way. No one ever messed with the confident kid. No one ever tried to pull the wool over the confident kid's eyes. She had seen what happened to the kids who were uncertain and weak at the orphanage. Sure, lots of them were adopted, but many were just teased merciless. Gigi grinned. She had been guilty of this from time to time. She was never cruel, just a little mean when it served its purpose.

She thought to what had wakened her: the dream. It had been the same dream she had been having for months. The scene and events changed from dream to dream, but the man never did. Up until recently, Gigi hadn't been able to make out his face. That all changed earlier in the week when Oliver Wood came to be their Quidditch captain. From that night on, it was Wood that visited Gigi nightly in her dreams.

Gigi rolled to her side and forced herself to relive the dream she had just woken from, despite her desire to remain asleep forever. It always started off on the Quidditch field, which most people would find unusual, but not Gigi. It was where she felt the freest and the most in control. Wood was there, his hair catching the light and his tee shirt straining against his muscles. Gigi had seen those muscles in the locker room, so she knew exactly how they would look under a too tight black tee shirt.

She remembered he had said something, but the words were not important. Words were just meaningless dribble that sprung from the mouths of those who chose to speak. It was his eyes, the way they seemed to draw her in and keep her. She touched his face first, the slight stubble rough under her finger tips. Gigi's heart would always be racing and she wouldn't care who saw them, she would let him kiss her. Secretly, they would both know they wanted it.

"You are a sad, stupid little girl," Gigi murmured into the dark. She was thankful she didn't share a room with anyone, as she was prone to the internal conversations between herself and the romantic school girl that begged to be released to explore the male species.

_'Come on, Gigi, let me out,'_ the school girl would whine. _ 'Trust me, I will behave. I won't touch him for too long.'_

Gigi wondered if she was cracking up, after all. It couldn't be healthy to fight with one's self about whether or not to touch another being. Gigi knew what his face felt like already, the heat rising to her face. She had touched him last night. First his face, then his neck and shoulder. If she hadn't caught herself, who knows how far she would have taken things? That wasn't good. She needed to be focused on the big match against the Holland Hillers. Even without Marcus Flint, they were a tough team to beat.

Gigi rose, no longer able to lay there in her bed. She was tired of always daydreaming about Wood and wondering if he liked her the way she liked him. She laughed aloud at that. There was no chance in hell that a respectable wizard and professional Quidditch player as good looking as Oliver Wood could ever be interested in the cast-away byproduct of a botched contraceptive spell.

"No sense in feeling sorry for myself," Gigi murmured as she pulled her favorite sweat pants on, finishing up with her favorite tee shirt. Gigi headed down to the kitchen in the dark to find Wood mulling over a cold cup of tea.

"What are you doing up?" Wood asked her crossly.

"I was thirsty and I can't sleep," Gigi said startled. Wood frowned at her. She hated that he always frowned when he looked at her. He was always smiling when he was around Angelina and Alicia. It would figure he would be interested in tall, exotic girls instead of short, plain, curly brown haired Gabrielle Stone.

"Well, you need to go up there and try," Wood snapped at her. Gigi crossed her arms.

"I can't control when I am tired and thirsty, Wood," Gigi snapped back. He had done a complete one-eighty on her. While they were the only ones in the house, Gigi believed that she was finally getting through that arrogant, spoiled boy persona. Now she felt like the second-class high school student. She had felt enough like that when she was a student at Beauxbatons. Second class in everything but attitude and drive. Those were the two things Gigi had some control over.

"You aren't going to be any use to me on the pitch if you fall asleep on your broom," Wood growled as he sipped his tea and grimaced. He reached for his wand to realize that he had left it in his room. Gigi smirked and pulled hers out, tapping his cup once to reheat his tea.

"I have never fallen asleep on my broom, thank you very much," Gigi said as she poured herself a glass of milk and sat down opposite of Wood. She could see him in the faint glow of the light over the sink. He looked like he was sick or something, possibly nerves. "Are you nervous about today's match?"

"No," Wood said. Gigi raised her eye brow suspiciously.

"I would be, if I were you," Gigi said. She drank a sip of her milk. "All of those eyes will be on you to see if you are really as great as you make yourself out to be. Me, personally, I worry you aren't."

"I wouldn't worry about me, kid," Wood growled at her. "I would worry about yourself. There are going to be hundreds upon thousands of people hoping that you won't catch the snitch as fast as the other guy. The Hiller's seeker is fast, lightening fast, and he is just a few years older than you. Even with Marcus Flint out, it is going to be a hard team to beat."

"I am not worried about Malfoy, and I could have handled myself with Flint," Gigi said crossly. She was all too familiar with their whole lot, more so than she would have liked to admit.

"Be that as it may, they are good," Wood said as he cast his doubts onto Gigi. She swallowed nervously.

"Stop, ok, because you are making me nervous," Gigi said as she momentarily let the school girl inside of her out, involuntarily of course. Oliver looked at her curiously, but said nothing further to question her slight slip of confidence. Gigi was thankful for that, because she was struggling internally with the school girl.

"You should be," Wood said quietly as he turned away from her. Gigi frowned. He was colder than normal and more distant than usual towards her. She shrugged, and knew she couldn't worry about it right then. She had the Quidditch match in a couple of hours to worry about instead. She would worry about his funky mood after they won, perhaps at the after party.

"I will keep that in mind, Wood," Gigi called as he ducked out of the room as George walked in to the kitchen. He looked at her with a frown of some sort on his face, and she wondered how much like hell she looked to have everyone frowning at her so early in the morning.

"Everything ok in here?" George asked as he scratched his chest and headed to the refrigerator. He looked over his shoulder at Gigi, who was focused on her last dregs of milk in the cup.

"Yeah, fine, why?" Gigi lied, and she was lying. Last night, she had been so certain about how she felt about him. This morning, it was like the guy last night had never been in the bathroom with her.

"You look upset," George said as he sat down with a giant piece of cake and two forks. "I have a younger sister, much like you, and when she gets upset she has that same face."

"I don't really want to talk about it," Gigi said as she frowned. She took the spare fork and took a bite of his cake.

"Ok, I was just offering," George said quietly. So they sat in silence.

"It's just that yesterday, I was more certain than ever about something, but today it seems like yesterday never happened," Gigi blurted out. George raised an eye brow at her.

"I thought that you didn't want to talk about it," George teased. Gigi laughed.

"Its not that I don't want to, I just don't know what to say," Gigi said frustration written on her face.

"I am assuming that this has to do with Oliver," George said in a slightly questioning tone. Gigi looked at him in surprise.

"How did you know?" Gigi asked.

"The question you should be asking yourself is how everyone but the two of you know," George said. Gigi made a face at him, one of great dislike.

"You are deluded, really. There is no way that he is interested in me," Gigi said sourly as she speared a piece of the frosting and licked it off the fork.

"Why not?" George asked. Gigi shrugged.

"Guys get turned off by the overly confident, the cockiness," Gigi said quietly. She remained quiet for a moment. "Guys don't like girls that are too into things like Quidditch and who are as competitive as I am. Take this whole seeker deal, it really irks me because I am a damn good keeper."

"I know you are," George said reaching across the table and mussing her hair. "But you a damn good seeker, as well, and you are going to kick arse out there today."

Gigi grinned and nodded once as she stood to pour herself another glass of milk. George watched her and waited for Gigi to sit down before continuing the conversation.

"What do you like about Oliver?" George asked cautiously. Gigi blushed.

"I don't know what you mean," Gigi lied. She faked a yawn. "I am going to try and catch some sleep before we have to get up and crush those Hillers."

"Alright," George said smirking as Gigi pushed the glass of milk toward George. She walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs, having to pass in front of Oliver's door. It was open, his light was on, and he was on the floor.

Gigi's heart began to race for a brief second before she realized he was on the floor for a purpose. She felt foolish to think he would be doing anything other than preparing for the Quidditch match in a couple of hours. He was doing crunches, resting a minute between his rapid sets of twenty. He was like a Greek god in his physical form. Gigi's heart began to race for a completely new reason.

Oliver sat up, sweat glistening at his hair line, making his brown hair clump slightly. Gigi couldn't turn away, and she couldn't stop staring at him. Oliver looked at her, his face slightly amused, slightly disgusted. He pulled himself to his feet and draped a towel around his shoulders. He walked over to the door and closed it in her face.

Gigi felt rage and hurt welling up in her. Rage, she was familiar with rage. It was a comforting old friend who visited her often, but hurt. That was a distant childhood foe that Gigi had thought she had washed her hands of; though obviously not. She could feel tears, real honest tears welling up behind her lids. She refused to cry, and she fought it.

She closed her bedroom door, leaned against it before the hot tears betrayed her, and they began to slip soundlessly down her face. She rubbed them away angrily.

'_This is what weakness got you. You start to believe you deserve the love and affections of others, and they let you down,'_ Gigi snapped angrily at herself. She could picture the school girl in her cowering and retreating back as the powerful and cold Gigi became more powerful.

'_I am sorry,'_ the school girl said distantly. _'I thought it would be nice to enjoy his company.'_

'_You were wrong again,'_ Gigi growled_. 'As usual, the heart is a foolish thing.'_

'_But it is better to love and lost than to never have loved at all,'_ the school girl said in a fading voice.

'_No, it's not. It hurts,'_ Gigi admitted to herself. She let the tears overcome her. _'It would have been so much better to have never put a face on the man in my dreams. It would have been so much better to hope that I could have love. Why him?'_

'_Because he is perfect for you,'_ the school girl cooed gently. Gigi could almost imagine the school girl persona hugging the tough girl in her.

"You had better be up!" Oliver said as he pounded on her door, interrupting her internal conversation. "I want a word with you in the common room in twenty minutes."

"I am up," Gigi groaned through the door. She leaned against the door a moment before changing into her Quidditch pants and shirt. She slowly walked downstairs, not really ready to face the day. Any other day, and she would have feigned sick and crawled into bed. She couldn't do that today. Today was Quidditch.

Oliver was sitting on the table, going over strategies with the little figures on the Quidditch board. Gigi waited, her lips pressed together. She was content to watch him so seriously pour over the Quidditch board that way. Gigi could feel desire and want building up to an explosion point with in her, so she cleared her throat to draw his attention.

"Look, Stone, we have to talk about a lot of things, and though today is not really a great day to do it, I need you to focus on Quidditch, I want to apologize," Wood said as he looked at her. She stepped closer to him, with in arms reach.

"Apologize? For what?" Gigi asked as she looked at him. With him sitting on the table, they were about the same height.

"I have been weird around you. I thought that I was having, well, that's not important being as things seem to be the way they are," Wood said quickly. Gigi frowned. He was talking so rapidly, and he wasn't making any sense. "Anyways, I am sorry for the crazy signals I have been putting out there. I just want you to play your hardest and win us the match, ok? Nothing else."

"Uh, I intended to," Gigi said frowning.

'_I am taking control,'_ the school girl inside of her said as she elbowed and dropped kicked the tough girl to the ground. Taking control for the moment, Gigi leaned forward and kissed Wood squarely on the mouth, her mouth slightly parted. He felt and tasted as she had imagined, strong and warm, and for a brief moment, Gigi was soaring in a blissful cloud of love and desire. Wood almost kissed her back, almost. Instead, he jerked back, shaking and horrified.

"That must never happen again!" Wood yelled at her. Gigi's eyes were wide with surprise. "That is just… _obscene_!"

Wood jumped off the table and brushed past her, his shoulder knocking hers as he fled the common room. Gigi was frozen to the spot in the common room, hurt and shame on her face. Mentally, she could picture the tough girl slowly pulling herself up and regaining control over Gigi. She couldn't let that happen again. It was mortifying. She shook off the hurt, buried it deep inside as the other team members began piling in to the common room.

"Are we ready to crush those Hillers?" Angelina cried as she began pumping her fist into the air. The others began pumping their fist into the air. The noise level rose to an unimaginable din. Gigi looked over to see Wood had reentered the room, but she turned away from him. She pushed all thoughts of the line she had crossed from her head. Tomorrow, she could deal with kissing him. Today, it was all about Quidditch.


	8. Quidditch Champs or Chumps

Wood and Stone

"Quidditch Champs or Chumps"

It was unnerving standing right next to her after what she had done, but there Oliver stood broom in his hand as they all stood for the media press junket before the big game. They all wore nervous smiles as reporters fired off questions. As captain, it was determined that Oliver should answer all of the questions, unless it was directly addressed to a specific player.

"So, Gabrielle," Rita Skeeter asked with her Quick Quotes Quill scribbling madly. "How does it feel to have your parents here to support and watch you brother play, but not you?"

Oliver tensed. This was not the time to drudge up such things. Oliver went to open his mouth to say something but Stone had stepped apart from him before he could do anything.

"Ms. Skeeter, it would be highly inappropriate for them not to support their son," Stone said sweetly. "While I know that I am not the reason they are in attendance, I know that they will not be able to ignore my spectacular performance in the match today. That is justice enough."

"Oh, and one more thing, Ms. Stone," Rita Skeeter said maliciously. "Is there any truth to the rumors that you and Viktor Krum have been seen together in London as of lately."

"We are here to discuss today's Quidditch match, not my activities off the pitch," Stone said smirking. "I would be more than happy to discuss that with you at a later date, should you so desire, after we wiped the pitch with the Holland Hillers."

Oliver felt her step back to his side and he felt sick. Not that he was nervous, nor at the calm way Stone deflected the questions of her personal life. Oliver felt sick because he was jealous at the thought that Rita Skeeter had something right about Stone and Krum. He shouldn't care what she did, not like the way he did. His feelings made him sick, because the more that he thought about it, the more he realized his feelings for her were unbrotherly.

_'You are one sick puppy,'_ the adolescent in him taunted. _'Craving after her the way you are, and trying to kiss her back. Don't think that went unnoticed.'_

"Let's hit the pitch," Oliver growled loudly as he led his team to the locker rooms. They stood around, waiting, able to hear the crowds cheering and making a ruckus just beyond the locker room doors. "Take a knee, team."

Oliver watched as they all bent their knees and grasped hands. Stone was holding Luna and Justin's hands tightly, the three looked like they were about to pass out for a moment. Oliver began his speech he gave before every big game; it didn't matter what team he was playing on, he always gave it. Alicia, Angelina, and George were so familiar with it; they began saying it along with him in a whispery sort of way. Oliver couldn't help but grin at it. He had a great team, he had done everything he could do with them in the week since he had joined, and he hoped it had been enough.

The team matched out onto the field, the reserves taking their places along the sidelines, ready at a moment's notice. Luna, Justin, and Kip all hugged Stone at once before she headed off to join Oliver. He had watched the little interaction between them.

"Don't get soft on me now, Stone," Oliver barked at her as she pulled up even with him. She thumped her shoulder twice with her fist.

"Stone is rock solid," Stone barked back at him. Oliver grinned, despite himself and George snorted as he hid his laughter.

"Flint? Thought you were laid up in the hospital," Oliver said in unhidden surprise. Marcus Flint sneered.

"Can't let you have all the fun Wood," Flint laughed coldly.

"Well, at least the bashing made your face easier to look at," Oliver said smirking.

"Ah, Stone, you still on the team even though Wonder Boy is here as team keeper?" Flint asked as a cruel and malicious smile spanned his face.

"She's seeker, now," Oliver said with uncontrolled pride. "Damn good one."

"Better than me? I doubt that the blood traitor is worth all that defense," Draco Malfoy laughed. Stone lunged forward but Oliver grabbed her back by her Quidditch robes and held her back.

"Damn it, Stone, save it for the game," Oliver swore at her. Stone pointed at Malfoy and made a rude gesture.

"Anytime, baby, I'm not bound by morals," Malfoy laughed. "But, I don't think it's proper, you know… a little gross, and with big brother watching. Wouldn't make him happy, now would it?"

"Alright, captains, shake hands. I want a clean match, you hear me?" The referee said as he blew his whistle. The two teams took to the skies, the snitch had been let loose minutes before and the other balls were put in play. Oliver flew to his goal post and began guarding them.

'Am I the last person to know she is my sister?' Oliver wondered angrily. Even Flint and Malfoy knew! Flint scored ten points.

"Get you head in the GAME!" Stone shouted at Oliver as she flew by, Malfoy on her tail.

"Don't tell me how to do my position, just do yours," Oliver shouted. He shook his thoughts from his head and knew that he really did need to focus on the match. Oliver heard what he thought was Lee Jordan's voice running commentary and he laughed. It was Lee Jordan!

The game was high paced as Alicia stole the Quaffle from Flint and raced down the field, scoring against the Hillers' keeper. They were tie. Thirty minutes in, Oliver had nearly taking a bludge to the face, which had caused one of the other Hillers' chaser to score. Angelina had accidentally kicked the third chaser in the side, giving them a penalty shot, which the chase, a troll-ish looking girl made easily. They were down twenty points now, and Oliver was practically loosing his mind.

Then the rain started: first huge fat rain drops that threatened to drown each of them as they opened their mouths to yell at each other. Then small, stabbing rain that felt like needles upon their exposed flesh. The wind whipped up on them, causing the flyers great difficulty to fly straight. Oliver hoped Stone would find the damn snitch quick and end the game. It was now bordering on an hour and a half. They score was one-hundred and thirty to ninety, in favor of the Hillers.

Stone saw the snitch first and took off after it, Malfoy on her tail. She tried to shake him but was unable to shake him. Their bodied knocked into one another, their arms reaching for the snitch at the same time. Stone knew his arms were longer and he would reach it first.

"Your mom fucked my dad," Stone said only loud enough for him to hear. Malfoy looked away from the snitch long enough to shove his elbow into her face hard. He looked back to the snitch, but it was too late. Stones' fingers had closed on the golden ball. The Fawkes had won the game.


	9. The After

Wood and Stone

"The After"

Gigi knew she shouldn't have said it quite like that to him, to rub it in his face in such away, but as of lately, she wasn't able to control herself. She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. It was an understatement that she wasn't able to control herself. She had come on to Wood, kissed him, and instigated Malfoy into elbowing her in the face. She looked at her reflection, thankful that her nose hadn't been broken. The healer had made her look fairly decent, though her nose and face was still sore.

Gigi debated whether she should even attend the celebration that evening. She had gotten a glimpse of the story that Rita Skeeter had plastered under the article on the Fawkes' victory in the evening edition. Gigi threw herself across the spare bed, trying not to remember those minutes after they had won, but she had failed.

_Both teams had landed, and her team had been named victorious. They hadn't even needed the penalty shot awarded because of Malfoy's elbow incident. Everything was fine, she and Justin were jumping up and down laughing and cheering like crazy people with Kip, and Luna, oblivious to Gigi's bloodied face. They were just so happy that they had won. The rain was letting up a bit, though it was nice and cool._

_Marcus Flint and Draco Malfoy had gotten into a row about Malfoy loosing his temper. Wood had laughed at them, though his was royally pissed that Malfoy had elbowed her in the face. He swore it was just his brotherly outrage, but then Flint turned on Wood and drug him into their argument._

_"What are you laughing about, you kilt-wearing sissy boy," Flint yelled at him. "Go home and blow your bag pipe like a good girl."_

_"Mutha fu…" Wood had yelled and tackled Flint, wailing into him with his fists. Everyone had stopped to watch the two captains of the two teams wailing on each other like school boys._

_Gigi had rushed to pull them off each other, but then Malfoy was drawn into it at that point and called Gigi a rather foul word he had picked up from his travels: cunt. Wood was pissed, but Flint was more so and they both started in on Malfoy. Gigi had pulled her wand at this point and was pointing it at Malfoy.._

_"Don't call her that, damn it," Flint said angrily at Malfoy as he kicked Wood in the side. He was trying to pull away from Wood to go after Malfoy who had drawn his own wand and had it pointed at Gigi._

_"What's it to you," Wood had huffed as he elbowed Flint in his crotch as they both tried to stand._

_"She's my sister," Flint had groaned as he fell over, unable to come back from a direct hit to his manhood. He vomited on the pitch. Wood had rounded on her._

_"What the fuck does he mean that you are his sister, Stone?" Wood asked her, looking as bloody as she had before the rain had washed away most of it._

_"Flint and I have the same father. Malfoy and I have the same mother," Gigi had said. "It is all in my file, damn it." Wood looked outraged and he had stalked off the pitch without another word. Gigi didn't try to help either Malfoy or Flint up, she just rejoined her team._

The headline had read: _Quidditch: Brings the fight out in the family_. There had been a full color, motion packed picture of the three boys fighting. The blood had been enhanced to its fullest red, it almost looked unnatural. Gigi groaned. She didn't want to go and face anyone. She thought about taking a walk and hoping that the Quidditch Stalker (as the papers had labeled him) would bash her head in a bit. How could she have been so stupid? If she hadn't instigated Malfoy, he wouldn't have elbowed her. Flint wouldn't have gotten pissy, Wood wouldn't have laughed, and the horrible family secret would have been avoided. As it was, there were many disapproving looks directed at Mr. Flint and Mrs. Malfoy.

It wasn't as if the truth being out in the open would change anything. Gigi was still on her own, she was still a Stone. She laughed at that. Her name was a joke. She wasn't a Malfoy, because her mother was only a Malfoy by marriage. To put Gigi as a Black, her mother's maiden name, was never going to happen. Mr. Flint refused to let Narcissa actually give the baby his name; that was out of the question. It was scandalous enough as it was, the whole sordid affair. At one last jab at Mr. Flint, Mrs. Malfoy gave the baby the surname Stone and dumped her in a muggle orphanage.

Gigi hated them for a long time. She knew that they could have done better by her, and yet they chose just to check in from time to time but never to take her from the sad state-run muggle orphanage. There were a few times that Gigi almost had been adopted, but she was never allowed to leave the orphanage. That was until she was eleven and her letters came. One was from Hogwarts and the other was from Beauxbatons. She had brothers, she knew this, and they were at Hogwarts. She had been so eager to meet them. Then her parents, in their rich clothes and holier-than-thou attitudes showed up and told her that she needed to choose the other school.

At first, Gigi had been certain it was because her parents wanted to keep her from getting to know her brothers. She resisted, and they insisted. Therefore, they struck up a deal. She would go to Beauxbatons and in exchange, she would spend holidays at either one of their homes. At the time, a family is all Gigi had ever wanted. Ignorantly, at eleven, Gigi sealed her fate and learned that there were worse things than not having a family.

It wasn't the fear that Gigi would grow to be a sister to Marcus or Draco that had kept her parents from allowing her to go to Hogwarts, it was the fear that she was too un-Slytherin. Which, she was. She was too loyal, brave, and honest to a fault. She stopped visiting them on holiday when she was thirteen. Instead, she turned inward, and became the awesome Quidditch player she was today.

"Ah, today," Gigi sighed. She rolled to her side and propped her head up on one arm. "Today had marked the beginning of the end for me."

Meanwhile, locked away behind his door, Oliver was shirtless and pacing the floor. He was in utter chaotic turmoil. He had brought her file out again, the huge volume, larger than any other player's file. He had to admit, he had never actually finished it the day that Mr. Westall had come.

_'Well, at least you know you are not some sick deviant,_' the adolescent in him piped up gleefully.

"Small consolation prize," Oliver muttered. "She is the sister of my nemesis."

_'You sound like you are some superhero, and he is some super villain,'_ the adolescent teased. _'Fuck him, you like her, now go tell her. Tell her now.'_

"Don't be ridiculous," Oliver grunted as someone knocked on his door. Oliver looked up hopefully but his hopes were dashed when George entered, already dressed for the big party.

"Don't look so down because it is only me," George said as he entered. Oliver shrugged.

"Sorry," Oliver said as he pulled his shirts on, buttoning the dress shirt.

"Well, that was an interesting turn of events, wasn't it?" George teased as he took a seat on Oliver's bed. "Wow, this is springier than our beds. Lucky."

"I supposed," Oliver grunted as he tucked his shirt into his trousers.

"I told you she wasn't your sister," George laughed. He laughed harder. "I do have to admit that I was very surprised to find out she was Malfoy and Flint's kid sister. It does make for an interesting combination. I mean, Mrs. Malfoy is very pretty, so thankfully Gigi took after her in that regard. Could you imagine if she looked more like Flint though? Hideous!"

"What is that you need, George?" Oliver asked impatiently. George grinned.

"Nothing," George said. "I am just supposed to be distracting you."

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"Oh, no reason, really," George laugh mischievously.

"Spill it, Weasley," Oliver threatened. Oliver had practically grabbed George by the jacket, but George had anticipated that and ducked away from Oliver, escaping out the door to Oliver's room with Oliver's jacket.

"Good, you're ready!" Alicia called in relief. Oliver sighed at the full common room of well dressed Quidditch players. They sure did clean up pretty well.

"There is only twelve of us," Oliver said as he realized that two were missing.

"Oh, Luna and Gigi have already left with their dates," Angelina said smirking. She checked her beaded bag. "Shoot, I only have three colors of lipstick in here."

"Its not like it isn't going to be sucked right off," George teased as he nudged her in the ribs. He looked guiltily at Alicia. "Oh, yours is too, baby. Don't you worry!"

"So, they just left without permission?" Oliver asked as fury rose in his voice. Angelina stepped forward and tied his tie for him.

"Easy, Wood," she murmured with a smile. "The restriction was lifted an hour ago. No one wanted to bother you. They caught the crazy guy, a quaffle maker who didn't like people touching his works of art."

"I am surprised no one put that together. Only chasers were being attacked," Alicia said indignantly.

"That's government for you," George quipped. He looked at the portkey. "Alright, let's get to our celebration!"

The music was loud at the huge ball room that was hosting the celebration party for the win, all decked out in red, amber, and gold: The Fawkes' team colors. Immediately, the team separated to find their friends and well wishers, and Oliver stood alone as he took in the scene. The Holland Hillers were there, in little groups of twos and threes. As much as he hated to, Oliver headed over to Flint and extended his hand to the man.

"Good game, Flint," Oliver said. Marcus shook his hand quickly.

"Yeah, you too," Marcus said. He laughed. "No hard feelings, right? I mean, it is only a game."

"Your lack of passion for the game," Oliver groaned as he shook his head. He snatched a drink off the tray of a roving house elf.

"I know, I know," Marcus said shaking his own head. "I do it, but only because my dad wants a Quidditch pro for a son. I would have rather worked in muggle law enforcement. They get to carry guns."

"There is always Gigi," Oliver said. Marcus nodded.

"That there is," Marcus said. "Speaking of the sin of my father, only kidding Wood, really. Where is the tyke?"

"I don't know. I am her captain not her baby sitter," Oliver said crossly. He wondered the very same thing.

"Aren't they one in the same?" Marcus teased.

"Sometimes," Oliver said as he sipped his drink. Oliver saw a group of his fellow Gryffindors. "Well, see you later, I suppose." Marcus shrugged indifferently.

"I suppose," he replied.

Oliver joined the large group of his old house mates from Hogwarts. All grown, none of them had that childlike innocence to them anymore. George and Alicia were nodding politely as Angelina and Lee were talking, Hermione was there, with Ron and Harry naturally. Even grown and out of school, they were the three musketeers. Oliver grinned at Harry when he looked Oliver's way.

"Hey, great game!" Harry said shaking Oliver's hand. Oliver nodded. "What I wouldn't give to be playing again. Ministry life is well, boring sometimes."

"Miss the spot light, do you?" Oliver asked. Harry chuckled.

"No, but I do miss the game," Harry said as he glanced toward the two new people that had joined the group. "Viktor, how've you been?"

"Good, and you?" Viktor said politely as he shook Harry's hand. Viktor turned his attentions towards Oliver. "Good game, by the way."

"Thanks," Oliver said as he looked towards Viktor's date. "Harry, have you met our Seeker? Gigi Stone?"

"Nice to meet you, Miss Stone," Harry said as he shook Stone's hand gently. She smiled and nodded.

"Like wise, Mr. Potter," Stone said.

"So, Viktor, how has the new team been working out for you? I heard that they were a bunch of talent-less misfits," Harry said as the two men began talking Quidditch.

"If you will excuse me a minute," Stone said quietly as she excused herself from the group. Oliver wanted to talk Quidditch with Harry and Viktor, but he felt drawn to follow Stone to the punch bowl.

"Hey, Gigi," Oliver said quietly as they stood their. She looked at him and smiled, pouring him a drink before pouring her own.

"No date?" Stone asked curiously. Oliver shook his head.

"Nah, come to find out that the girl I wanted to ask already had a date," Oliver said coyly.

"Did she really?"

"So, it would seem," Oliver said as he nodded toward the group of people that they had just left.

"What were you talking to Flint about earlier?" Stone asked rather disinterested sounding.

"Oh, nothing. Just a little mundane good-sportsmanship talk," Oliver said. Stone shrugged and stood there. "You know, you should have told me that you were leaving."

"You're not my mother," Stone said as she sipped her punch. She made a face and handed the cup to a house elf. Oliver tasted it.

"Spiked, nice," Oliver said annoyed. "Anyways, I am your captain, and I need to know the bloody hell where my team is at all times."

"Well, then that sucks for you," Stone said. She turned her back to the crowd, and added rather annoyed. "You know, I am an adult."

"I know," Oliver said quietly. He made a face. "So you are with Krum?"

"What's it to you?" Stone asked grumpily.

"I just like to know who my players are associating with," Oliver said stiffly. Stone shrugged and took a bite of a sweet pastry thing that had been tempting her for the past three minutes. "You shouldn't eat that. Seekers are supposed to be light and nimble. That is loaded with calories."

"Great, so now you are telling me I am going to get fat if I eat that? Great. Just what I need," Stone said grumpily as she passed the little pastry to the house elf standing next to her.

"No, that isn't what I meant," Oliver protested. Stone crossed her arms and fumed.

"Look, Krum wants me," Stone snapped at Oliver. She stalked away to where Krum had begun to look for her. Oliver made a face and sulked. George left Alicia's side and walked over to get some punch for him and Alicia.

"The punch is spiked," Oliver said dully. George flashed him a devilish smile.

"Even better, I don't have to do it," George said. He frowned at Oliver's lack of laughter at the joke he had made. "What is up with you tonight?"

"Nothing," Oliver lied. He crossed his arms trying to look disinterested in the whole celebration.

"You are a liar," George said. Oliver opened his mouth in outrage, but George raised his hand to stop Oliver's response. "The only one who doesn't see how much you like Gigi is you and her, and something tells me that you know you like her. The same goes for reverse. You should have seen her with Alicia and Angelina when the girls were all getting ready for this party. Alicia and Angelina picked out this really hot gold dress for Gigi to wear, and she was wearing it, but Alicia told me that Gigi confessed that Krum made her change. He didn't like people looking at his girl."

"So she is Krum's girl then? I have no hope," Oliver moaned. George looked at him in disgust.

"What happened to Oliver, King of Quidditch? I have never seen you accept defeat so willingly," George said with great displeasure. "If Fred was here, he and I would have frog-marched you back over to Gigi and held you there until you admitted the truth to her."

"It's not that easy," Oliver growled. "I am the captain. There are certain rules and…"

"Fuck the bloody rules, Oliver," George swore loudly. He lowered his voice when a few people looked their way. "They way I see it, you can tell her how you feel and possibly get rejected, which she won't, or you can keep it inside and loose her to a guy like Krum who will make her ok-happy just not Oliver-great-happy. Do you really want Krum to be the one who lays down next to her every night, to kiss her and love her the way you want to?"

George walked away without another word and rejoined Alicia, who had begun to wonder where he had gone too. Oliver waited, sighing miserably, before he joined the others. He smiled weakly at them as he reabsorbed himself into the conversation.

"So, we are thinking of a spring wedding," Angelina was said excitedly. Oliver looked at her confused, obviously coming in the middle of a conversation.

"Wedding?" Oliver asked. Angelina grinned and wiggled her left hand in front of his face.

"Lee and I are engaged," Angelina squealed. Oliver smiled.

"Wow, Angelina, Lee… congratulations, really!" Oliver said as he hugged Angelina. She laughed and nodded as she pulled away.

"I am going to need a week or two for a honeymoon," Angelina told him. Oliver grinned.

"We will work it out later," Oliver said. He glanced around, seeing that Krum was off talking to some Quidditch suppliers.

"She's on the balcony," George said simply. Oliver looked at him, but found rather knowing eyes looking at him. He blushed.

"Oh?" Oliver said plainly.

"Go, talk to her," Alicia said. "She's crazy about you and you would be crazy not to."

"Alright, alright," Oliver said laughing as he walked away. "If only to get you guys to finally stop."

Oliver walked outside on the balcony, and at first he wondered if he was alone out there. He saw her standing at the farthest point from the door, almost hidden in the shadows. The night air was cool, too cool to be out there without a sweater, at least, but there she was in her sleeveless black dress with the swooped back. He stared at her for a moment before he made his presence known. She glanced at him over her shoulder, her bouncy curls dancing.

"Oliver, what brings you out from the party?" Stone asked quietly. Oliver slowly walked her way.

"I just wanted to see where you had gone to," Oliver said. Stone made a gesture.

"I am here," she replied. She sighed and looked back out across the darkened gardens. Oliver stood next to her, and for a moment he hesitated. For the first time in his life, he was eagerly summoning his inner adolescent.

_'Nope, buddy, you are on your own,'_ the adolescent said from within. Oliver groaned aloud and Stone looked at him curiously. She didn't say anything, just continued to look at him.

"Are you and Krum really a thing?" Oliver asked. He needed to know where she stood before he did anything or said anything. To his relief, she shook her head.

"We came here together, but we are not together," Stone said. She was looking at him intently, her lips slightly parted as she scraped her bottom lip with her teeth, almost instinctively. "Why?"

"Just wanted to make sure he wouldn't hit me," Oliver said grinning.

"Hit you?" Stone asked confused as she turned to look at him. He nodded. "For what, Oliver?"

"For this," Oliver said as he put his hand to the back of her head and pulled her against him, his mouth pressing against her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. He tasted her, his body was betraying him, and he didn't care. He had never wanted anyone or anything as he wanted her right then. Oliver felt her hands go to his shoulders, and for a split second, he was certain he had made a mistake and she was going to push him away. Then, he felt her hands cupping his face; she buried her fingers in his hair. She was kissing him back, and with the same intense force he started the kiss. They finally pulled far enough apart to take a breath, but didn't untangle their arms from each other's bodies.

"Do you want to leave?" Stone asked quietly. Oliver looked at her in surprise, knowing exactly that he was thinking the same thing. He grinned and took her hand.

"Yeah," Oliver said. "Let's not even tell the others."

"They already know," Stone said laughing as she pointed at the glass doors. The entire team had their faces pressed against the glass. They all gave them the thumbs up and Oliver laughed. Quidditch was life but to him, she was love.


	10. Epilogue

Wood and Stone

"Epilogue"

The sun was barely raised, and yet there he was again, ready. It had been a day, a month, a year? They didn't know anymore. Time seemed to speed along and stay still all the same when they were together. He was ready, and yet he hesitated, eager but patience was a virtue. He had never been one for patience, but it had paid off in this.

"Gigi," Oliver whispered as he looked down at her face. She was asleep at the moment; he could feel her breathing rhythmically. Her eye lashes didn't flutter with the pretense of sleep. A mischievous smile crossed his face as he scratched his bare chest, glad that he still looked great, even so close to thirty. He said her name once again before he lifted the edge of the blanket that was covering them.

His hand cupped one of her breast and she murmured slightly as she moved against him reflexively. He didn't even try to suppress a grin. He wanted to take her right then, but he could be patient. He would get his, but at the moment, he could only think of one most perfect way to wake her. His fingers caressed her stomach slightly before they plunged deeper to a more sacred spot. She moaned slightly and twisted slightly.

"Oliver, what are you doing?" Gigi asked sleepily as his mouth caressed her shoulder.

"Nothing," he lied grinning, his mouth meeting hers. She smiled, his mouth on hers, and for a brief moment, Oliver couldn't breathe. He had yet to tell her, but he loved her so much.

"We have to get ready for the rematch against the Hillers, Oliver," Gigi giggled as he shifted slightly and her breathing became uneven. He pulled back a bit, wanting to watch her face as she writhe and moaned at the touch of his fingers.

"We'll be ok," Oliver murmured with great pleasure. A huge smile crossed his face as he could see that she was getting close.

"Two can play at this game," Gigi moaned as her hand encircled his betrayal. He gasped and a smile spread across Gigi's face. She felt him press against her harder, wanting to get her to the finish line quickly before she got him there.

"Gigi," Oliver moaned as his breathing became ragged and uneven. She smiled.

"Always so competitive," Gigi hissed as she bucked. He had won.

"Yup," Oliver said as he pulled her hand free of his very perky betrayal. "I am coming to claim my prize."

Gigi looked up at him as he moved over her, eager to take her in a firm but loving manner. Oliver's mouth found hers and he possessed her, body and soul. She didn't care. He was all she ever wanted. He was the man of her dreams.

A/N: I know, I suck at epilogues, and this doesn't really wrap things up in a neat little package that ends with a "Happily Ever After", but you have to admit. That is one hell of an ending! As always, I am open to any other suggestions. This one is for and dedicated to Turtle. Hope this is how it would be for you and Oliver… 


End file.
